Court Summons CBN Governor Over Detained Binance Executive

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a summons for the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso and the Head of the Legal Services Department of the apex bank to appear before the court on Monday, September 2.

The court has requested specific documents as part of the ongoing money laundering trial against Binance Holdings Limited and its executives.

This development comes after the court, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, had initially scheduled the continuation of the trial for October 11.

However, the defence counsel successfully requested an earlier date, leading to the rescheduling of the trial to September 2.

The charges against Binance executives, including Tigan Gambaryan, Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance USA, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, the exchange’s British-Kenyan regional manager for Africa, involve allegations of money laundering amounting to $35 million.

The case was brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were initially held in the custody of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Anjarwalla, however, managed to escape from custody on March 22, 2024, while Gambaryan was transferred from ONSA custody to EFCC custody, and later to Kuje Correctional Facility, where he remains detained.

In the document titled Subpoena Duces Tecum, with charge number: FHC/ABCR/138/2024, between the Federal Republic of Nigeria versus Binance Holdings Limited and Tigran Gambaryan, the court asked the apex bank’s heads to appear before it or delegate someone to do so.

It read, “The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way, Central Business District, Abuja – FCT.

“You or any other officer you may delegate are commanded in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to attend before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, presided over by the Honourable Justice E. Nwite, on the 2nd day of September 2024 at 9 o’clock in the forenoon, and from day to day until the above cause is tried, to bring with you and produce at the time and place mentioned the following documents.

“Certified True Copy of the excel spreadsheet captioned ‘Export Exchange Rate Results’ published on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s website for the period from 1 June 2024 to 16 August 2024.”

In a separate document but with similar wording, the court summons, “The Head, Legal Services Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way, Central Business District, Abuja – FCT.

“You or any other officer you may delegate are commanded in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to attend before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, presided over by the Honourable Justice E. Nwite, on the 2nd day of September 2024 at the hour of 9 o’clock in the forenoon, and from day to day until the above cause is tried, to bring with you and produce at the time and place mentioned the following documents,” part of the subpoena read.