An executive of Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
He pleaded not guilty to the money laundering charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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Gambaryan was arraigned yesterday by the EFCC before Justice Emeka Nwite of the court.
Counsel to the accused person had raised a preliminary objection to the charge before the court.
But before the arraignment, Justice Emeka Nwite, in a brief ruling, dismissed the objection by Gambaryan to taking a plea on behalf of Binance on the ground that he was not their representative and had no written authority to do so.
Justice Nwite, in dismissing the objection, held that Gambaryan had in an affidavit claimed to be representative of the company and transacted businesses on its behalf in Nigeria.
The anti-graft agency, through its counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, said the offences which were committed between January 2023 and December 2023 in Abuja were contrary to and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count one alleged that the defendants between January 2023 and January 2024 in Abuja carried out specialised business of other financial institutions without a valid licence.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 57(1) and (2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020, and punishable under Section 57(5) of the same Act.
Although the foreign national pleaded to be remanded at the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the plea was turned down by Justice Nwite.
The judge subsequently ordered that the defendant be taken to Kuje Prison on remand.
Justice Nwite fixed April 18, 2024, for the hearing of the defendant’s application for bail and May 2 for trial.