A federal high court in Nigeria recently made a decision to dismiss a human rights lawsuit filed by Binance executive Nadeem Anjarwalla against the country’s National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The court cited Anjarwalla’s lack of legal representation as the reason for the dismissal. This decision was anticipated, especially after Anjarwalla fled the Nigerian authority’s custody and his lawyer withdrew from the case.
Anjarwalla, who holds dual British and Kenyan citizenship, was among the Binance executives detained by the Nigerian government in February due to regulatory concerns related to the exchange’s operations. Despite his escape from custody in March using a Kenyan passport, his whereabouts are currently unknown. On the other hand, Tigran Gambaryan, the other Binance executive, remains in Nigerian custody and is facing legal battles with the authorities. He is currently incarcerated at Kuje Prison and has a pending human rights enforcement application case scheduled for July 9. Additionally, he is facing money laundering charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty. The court has deemed him a flight risk, denying him bail.
Surprisingly, Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) recently dropped the charges against Gambaryan, opting to focus on the exchange instead. Speculations are rife that the US government may intervene in Gambaryan’s detention. A meeting between FBI Director Christopher Wray and Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has only fueled these speculations further. However, Binance has maintained that Gambaryan is not a significant decision-maker within the company and should not be held accountable before the issues with the Nigerian government are resolved.
Overall, the legal battle involving Binance executives in Nigeria is a complex and evolving situation. The dismissal of Anjarwalla’s lawsuit, the ongoing legal challenges faced by Gambaryan, and the potential diplomatic intervention from the US government all contribute to the uncertainty surrounding the case. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold and what implications it may have for both the individuals involved and the broader cryptocurrency industry.
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