Court dismisses ex-Binance chief’s claims of unlawful detention against EFCC

From Sola Ojo, Abuja

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, November 27, dismissed a suit filed by former Binance Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Tigran Gambaryan, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), claiming unlawful and prolonged detention.

Justice Umar Mohammed dismissed the case, ruling that the court would not, under the guise of Gambaryan’s fundamental rights claims, “interfere” with the prosecutorial role of the Nigerian authorities in investigating suspected foreign exchange violations and alleged money laundering involving the Binance platform.

Gambaryan filed the suit against the EFCC and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), seeking compensation and costs over his purported prolonged detention by security operatives in connection with the Federal Government’s money laundering and foreign exchange contravention allegations against Binance.

While the proceedings lasted, EFCC counsel, Olanrewaju Adeola, told the court that Gambaryan was lawfully detained based on charges of money laundering and foreign exchange violations.

He described the suit of the former Binance chief as “a gross abuse of court processes”.

Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale, however, said that the commission’s position was upheld with the dismissal of the suit by the court.