On April 4, the Federal Government would charge Binance Holdings Limited and two of its top executives, Tigran Gambaryan and the fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla, with tax evasion.
Binance, Gambaryan, and Anjarwalla, the first through third defendants, are scheduled to be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja on a four-count allegation.
Anjarwalla, who had been detained alongside Gambaryan, was claimed to have escaped lawful custody. On Friday, he escaped from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague had been imprisoned.
Though the Federal High Court Easter holiday began on March 22 and will end on April 8, Justice John Tsoho, the Chief Judge, instructed that the Binance case file be transferred to Justice Nwite.
Although Justice Nwite is not a vacation judge, the chief justice granted the judge permission to oversee the case while on vacation because it is of critical national importance.Hearing letters had been sent to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),
the prosecuting agency, and other parties urging the defendants to enter a plea.Allegations against Binance include nonpayment of Value-Added Tax (VAT), Company Income Tax, failure to file tax returns, and involvement in assisting clients to cheat taxes through its platform.