On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, the medical doctor at Kuje Correctional Centre, for allegedly failing to produce the medical report of Tigran Gambaryan, a detained executive of Binance Holdings Ltd.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the warrant following an application by Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN. Gambaryan, facing money laundering charges alongside Binance, was brought to court in a wheelchair due to reported ill-health. Despite a court order on July 5 for the Nigerian Correctional Service to release Gambaryan’s medical report by July 16, the report was not provided.
During the hearing, a prison official confirmed delivering the court order to Dr. Ehizojie on July 9, but the doctor did not appear in court. The EFCC counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, also expected the medical officer’s presence.
Mordi requested the court to issue a bench warrant for Dr. Ehizojie and to order hospital remand for Gambaryan for a thorough medical examination. He emphasized the seriousness of his client’s health, noting Gambaryan’s complaints of back pain and his arrival in a wheelchair.
Justice Nwite criticized the government institution for treating the court order lightly and ordered Dr. Ehizojie to appear in court. He also directed that Gambaryan be taken to Nizamiye Hospital for medical care under full security surveillance for 24 hours.
The case was adjourned until October 11 and 18 for continuation of the trial. Earlier, Dr. Olubukola Akinwunmi of the Central Bank of Nigeria provided evidence and was cross-examined by Binance’s counsel, Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN.
