ALLEGED TAX EVASION: ABSENCE OF BINANCE OFFICIAL, GAMBARYAN STALLS PROCEEDINGS AS COURT ADJOURNS TO JUNE 14
Due to the non-attendance of one of their employees, Tigran Gambaryan, in court, the tax evasion case involving Binance Holdings Limited and its executives has been put on hold at the Federal High Court Abuja.
Top Binance executive Gamaryan was served with the allegations brought against him by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and he was scheduled to appear in court for arraignment.
The company and two of its employees, Nadeem Anjarwalla and Gambaryan, who left the nation on March 22, 2024, were sued by the FIRS for tax evasion.
After being accused of neglecting to register with the FIRS in order to pay all applicable taxes that the service is responsible for handling, Binance is now facing a four-count accusation.
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.
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 failure of the defendant 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.