The ruling on a new bail application for Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at Binance Holdings Limited, was postponed on Wednesday due to the absence of Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice Nwite was attending a seminar at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), leading to the rescheduling of the ruling to October 11.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), strongly opposed Gambaryan’s bail request during the hearing on September 4. Representing Gambaryan, his attorney Mark Mordi, SAN, argued for his release.

Iheanacho contended that Gambaryan was receiving the best medical care available from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and claimed that the executive had previously refused medical treatment from the State House Clinic in Abuja. He highlighted a medical report from the State House Clinic that indicated Gambaryan was not as unwell as suggested and had been dissatisfied with the care provided.

The EFCC lawyer urged the court to reject the bail application, noting that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, had requested Gambaryan’s medical records from the NCoS. The NCoS responded on August 29, providing medical reports from Nizamiye Hospital and confirming that Gambaryan had received adequate care and had been taken to various hospitals, including the State House Clinic.
Iheanacho insisted that the NCoS could facilitate Gambaryan’s treatment in any hospital in Nigeria, emphasizing that medical interventions could not be forced upon him without his consent.

In contrast, Mordi requested bail on liberal terms or, alternatively, for six weeks due to health concerns. He argued that while the EFCC denied the severity of Gambaryan’s health issues, the medical reports indicated he required further care, which could not be adequately provided in Nigeria.