Nigerian court adjourns Binance executive’s tax evasion case until April 19

A Nigerian high court in Abuja, the nation’s capital, has adjourned the tax evasion case against Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive detained since February, until April 19, Bloomberg first reported.

Gambaryan who made his first appearance in court on Thursday, was charged with tax evasion by Nigerian authorities, alongside Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s Kenya-based regional manager for Africa, who fled the country on March 22. 

Both executives were arrested and detained after flying into the country to resolve the company’s restricted website access—which the government blocked on suspicion of manipulating FX prices in unofficial markets. 

TechCabal reported that the Nigerian government also charged Binance on a four-count charge, including nonpayment of corporate income tax and value-added tax, failure to file tax returns, and cooperation in helping users of its website avoid paying taxes. The government also accused Binance of failing to register with its tax collection agency, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), for tax purposes, an offence punishable under Section 8 of Nigeria’s Value Added Tax Act of 1993.

Justice Emeka Nwite, presiding over the case, also adjourned the suit against Binance until April 8, when a hearing will commence. 

In a separate lawsuit, last week, both executives filed a human rights violation case in Nigeria’s Federal High Court, asking the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release them, return their passports, and issue a public apology.

This is Gambaryan’s fifth week in detention. On Wednesday, Binance asked Nigerian authorities to release its detained official, saying he “has no decision-making power in the company and should not be held responsible while discussions are ongoing between Binance and the Nigerian government.” 

The Nigerian government also has issued an international arrest warrant for Anjarwalla.