The tax evasion case involving Binance Holdings Limited and its executives was stalled, on Wednesday, due to Tigran Gambaryan’s absence in court.
Gambaryan, a Binance executive, was billed to appear in court for arraignment after being served with the charges brought against him by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The Cryptocurrency exchange was dragged to court for tax evasion by the FIRS alongside officials of the company, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla who fled the Country on March 22, 2024.
Binance, Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were listed as 1st to 3rd defendants in the suit.
Binance faces 4-count charges after being accused of failing to register with the FIRS to pay all relevant taxes administered by the service.
The FIRS also alleged that Binance failed to issue invoices to the subscribers to determine and payment of Value Added Taxes.
In the last adjourned date, counsel for the FIRS, Moses Ideh, served the second defendant, Gambaryan with the charges, with the leave of the court, as the case was adjourned for his arraignment.
However, in Thursdays proceedings, Gambaryan failed to appear in court.
The Counsel for the second defendant, Chukwuka Ikwuazo (SAN), said he was not in court because the correctional service was yet to bring him. He asked for a stand down to find out what might have happened.
Moses Ideh, representing the FIRS, expressed displeasure over the failure of the defendant to show up and opposed a stand down on the matter.
He accused the defense counsel of knowing his client was not going to be present in court and not doing enough to make him available.
Ikwuazo (SAN), who denied the claims, said the defendant is in the custody of the Correctional service and they are to blame for not providing him.
He then asked for an adjournment and promised to ensure that the defendant is present in court on the next adjourned date.
The motion for adjournment was not opposed by Ideh or T.J. Krukrubo (SAN), who represented the first defendant.
Justice Emeka Nwite therefore adjourned the matter till July 14, for arraignment.
Two executives of the company were arrested and detained after they flew into the country as a result of a ban on their website, by the Nigerian government, over allegations of handling illicit flow of cash through their platform.
