Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, a medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre. 

According to local media, the warrant was issued after Ehizojie failed to produce a medical report for Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan or appear in court as previously ordered.

Bench warrant for prison doctor

Justice Nwite had instructed the Nigerian Correctional Service to provide Gambaryan’s medical report, warning against noncompliance. At the recent court session, Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, revealed that the order had not been followed. A prison official confirmed delivering the court order to the doctor but noted his absence in court.

Nigerian prison doctor detained over Binance executive’s health concerns image 0 Gambaryan in court in a wheelchair. Source: Nairametrics

Counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ekene Iheanacho, expressed surprise at the medical officer’s absence. Mordi requested the court issue a bench warrant for the doctor and remand Gambaryan to a hospital for immediate medical diagnosis, citing his client’s severe back pain and deteriorating health condition.

“My client came in here in a wheelchair. He has been complaining of back pain. We need to be careful of the life in our hands,” Mordi emphasized.

Related:  US lawmaker asks Congress to treat Binance exec in Nigeria as a ‘hostage’

Justice Nwite criticized the disregard for court orders and issued the bench warrant for Dr. Ehizojie. He also ordered that Gambaryan be taken to Nizamiye Hospital for a 24-hour medical checkup under full security. The case was adjourned to Oct. 11 for continuation.

Family and lawyers push for treatment and release

In addition to the health concerns, Gambaryan faces charges alongside Binance for money laundering and foreign exchange violations. Despite these legal battles, his family and legal team continue to push for his immediate medical treatment and release.

Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki, expressed deep concern over her husband’s health in a statement. She said,

“I am heartbroken to see my once fit and healthy husband reduced to such a condition. This ordeal has taken a severe toll on him, leaving him in so much pain that he can hardly walk…I am pleading with the Nigerian authorities to urgently release my husband on humanitarian grounds."

The Nigerian government has accused Binance and its executives, Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, of conspiring to conceal the origins of $35,400,000 in financial proceeds from alleged unlawful activities in Nigeria. Binance is also dealing with a separate suit from the Federal Inland Revenue Service for tax evasion.

Magazine: Cleaning up crypto: How much enforcement is too much?