The tax evasion case involving Binance Holdings Limited and its executives has been stalled at the Federal High Court Abuja, after their staff, Tigran Gambaryan failed to show up in court.
Gambaryan, a top Binance executive, was billed to appear in court for arraignment after the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) served him with the charges levelled against him.
The FIRS sued the company for tax evasion alongside its officials, Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, who fled the country on March 22, 2024.
Binance is facing a 4-count charge, including the accusation of failing to register with the FIRS for the purpose of paying all relevant taxes administered by the service.
The FIRS also alleged that while it was offering taxable services to subscribers on its trading platform, the company failed to issue invoices to the subscribers for the purposes of determining and payment of its value-added taxes, a serious violation of tax laws.
On the last adjourned date, counsel for the FIRS, Moses Ideh, served the second defendant, Gambaryan with the charges, with the leave of the court, as the case was adjourned for his arraignment.
During Thursday’s proceedings, however, Gambaryan failed to appear in court. The counsel for the second defendant, Chukwuka Ikwuazo (SAN), said he was not in court because the Correctional Service was yet to bring him. He asked for a stand down to find out what might have happened.
Counsel to the FIRS expressed displeasure over the defendant’s failure to show up and opposed a stand-down on the matter. He accused the defence counsel of knowing his client was not going to be present in court and not doing enough to make him available.
Gambaryan’s counsel who denied the claims, said the defendant is in the custody of the Correctional Service and they are to blame for not providing him. He then asked for an adjournment and promised to ensure that the defendant is present in court on the next adjourned date. Justice Emeka Nwite, therefore, adjourned the matter till June 14, for arraignment.
