The post Nigerian Court Dismisses Human Rights Lawsuit by Binance Executive Nadeem Anjarwalla appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
Nadeem Anjarwalla, a Binance executive, faced a major setback in Nigeria when a federal high court dismissed his human rights lawsuit against the National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
What Happened?
The court decision was largely due to Anjarwalla’s lack of legal representation after his lawyer withdrew from the case. Anjarwalla, who holds dual British and Kenyan citizenship, had fled Nigerian custody on March 28th amidst regulatory concerns surrounding Binance’s operations in the country.
Nairametrics reported that Binance’s lawyer, Tonye Krukrubo, requested to withdraw from the case to allow Anjarwalla to find new representation. By then, Anjarwalla had escaped prison and fled to Kenya. The court suspended proceedings until June 19 for Anjarwalla to appoint new legal representatives.
Status of Tigran Gambaryan’s Detention
Meanwhile, Tigran Gambaryan, another Binance executive, remains detained at Kuje Prison in Nigeria. He is facing charges related to money laundering and has been denied bail by the court, which considered him a flight risk. Despite the Federal Inland Revenue Service dropping charges against him, the Nigerian government continues to engage with Binance over regulatory issues.
Breach of Law
Anjarwalla claimed Nigerian government entities breached Section 35 (1) and (4) of the Constitution. He said his unlawful detention was causing him, his wife, children, and other family members great suffering.
Justice Ekwo dismissed the human rights case due to a lack of diligent prosecution. The court has scheduled July 9 for the hearing of Gambaryan’s suit.
Potential US Government Intervention
This case is creating a tense situation between the US and Nigeria. And there is a possibility of potential intervention by the US government in Gambaryan’s case. Recently, FBI Director Christopher Wray met with Nigeria’s President, fueling discussions of diplomatic efforts to secure Gambaryan’s release. US lawmakers have been vocal in calling for Gambaryan’s freedom, criticizing Nigeria’s actions as baseless and forceful attempts to pressure Binance.
However, Binance has maintained that Gambaryan is not a significant decision-maker within the company and argues against his continued detention while negotiations with Nigerian authorities are ongoing.