According to Bloomberg, a Nigerian court has denied the bail application for Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan. As per the report, on Friday, Judge Emeka Nwite of Nigeria’s Federal High Court in Abuja rejected the bail application.
More so, the Binance executive requested the bail while citing his worsening health condition. Instead of granting the bail, the judge directed the prison officials to refer Tigran Gambaryan to a hospital for treatment.
Furthermore, Nwite refused to grant the bail indicating that Binance’s executive condition doesn’t entitle him to leave custody. The judge reportedly stated that the executive would only be authorized to leave if his stay in the facility was causing harm to other detainees and there was no facility for quarantine.
It is worth mentioning that the rejection of Tigran Gambaryan’s bail surfaced a few days after founder and former CEO of Binance, Chnagpeng Zhao (CZ) regained his freedom. On September 27, 2024, CZ was released from prison in the U.S. after completing a four-month jail sentence relating to Anti-Money Laundering violations.
How the Family of the Binance Executive Tried to Secure His Bail
Meanwhile, the family of Gambaryan and his representative, Mark Mordi have constantly pursued a six-week bail for the detainee to receive good medical treatment outside the prison facility. In a statement, Mordi disclosed that the Binance executive needs surgery for a herniated disc and psychiatric care as a result of depression and anxiety.
On the flip side, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria, the prosecutor that accused Tigran Gambaryan of money laundering, has debunked claims of the Binance executive’s health. Recall that in September a senior prosecutor of the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho argued that the representatives of Gambaryan were exaggerating the stringency of his health condition.
Additionally, he explained that the health facility at the Kuje Correctional Facility can address the issues while claiming the situation isn’t as severe as the lawyers are claiming.
Recall that Gambaryan has remained in detention at the Kuje prison in Abuja after his arrest in February. Ever since, the Binance executive has remained in prison despite numerous claims of his innocence and deteriorating health.
According to a revelation by the family in August, Tigran Gambaryan is suffering from a spinal injury and he’s unable to walk. Despite the claims, the Nigerian government insisted that the Binance executive remain in jail until the end of the case.
However, the wife of the executive, Yuki Gambaryan said the decision of the Nigerian government to keep her husband in custody is not a surprise. She emphasized that it is unfair to deny Tigran access to proper medical assistance.