Bail Application Takes Centre Stage at Court
The trial of the Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan resumed at the Abuja high court in Nigeria on September 2, with the prosecution strictly opposing his bail application. Gambaryan, who has been in prison for more than six months, looked visibly disturbed and had to walk with crutches after being denied a wheelchair.
The Gambaryan legal team applied for his bail because, as claimed, his health conditions – Pneumonia, Malaria, and Tonsillitis – were deteriorating, while his wife, Yuki Gambaryan, also added the poor conditions in Kuje prison where he has been kept. Nigerian prosecutors countered that with claims he had refused to take medication against these applications.
Binance CEO Appeals for U.S. Intervention
Richard Teng, the chief executive of Binance, called upon U.S. diplomats to intervene and secure Gambaryan’s release. He said the former IRS agent was a junior and had no powers to make decisions internally within Binance, for which he should not bear any responsibility over accusations thrown against the company.
The appeal for Teng has been joined by U.S. lawmakers, such as Representative French Hill, who last week visited Gambaryan in prison. Hill assessed the situation as politically driven dispute and called for the release of the executive.
Concerns About Gambaryan’s Health
The health of Gambaryan has been the talk of most people since his case started in court. Yuki, the wife, spoke about her deep concern over the negligence regarding his health. This month, on September 2nd, she lashed out at the Nigerian authorities over their efforts to block the release of medical records and downplay her husband’s condition.
“I am very concerned by recent statements from Nigerian officials that deny Tigran’s health problems,” said Yuki Gambaryan. “The truth is that for months the prison has refused to make his medical records available, and even today’s partial release of some of those records indicates surgery for Tigran. The whole thing is inhumane and degrading.”
What’s Next?
The bail hearing is expected to continue as the Nigerian authorities, and Gambaryan’s defense team prepare for the next phase of the legal arguments. With increasing international interest, especially by the United States in the case, the outcome of this hearing could strongly influence the future of operations by Binance and diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United States
