July 16, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, a Medical Doctor at the health facility of Kuje Correctional Centre.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued an arrest warrant on Ehizojie on Tuesday, following his failure to provide the medical report of Tigran Gambaryan, Head of Binance Financial Crime Compliance Unit, who is currently detained at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
THEWILL reports that Gambaryan, who is facing money laundering charges in Nigeria, was brought to the Federal High Court on Tuesday, seated in a wheelchair.
However, he stood up from the wheelchair and walked slowly into the dock when the matter was called for continued hearing.
Justice Nwite had on April 8, ordered that Gambaryan be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre. He is facing charges of alleged complicity in money laundering filed by the EFCC.
Recall that Justice Nwite had on July 5, ordered the management of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to release the medical certificate of Gambaryan on or before July 16.
The Judge gave the order following an application by Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN.
Mordi had prayed the court to summon the medical doctor at the health facility of Kuje Correctional Centre to explain why he had allegedly refused to make his client’s medical report available despite an earlier court order.
“If the medical certificate is not made available on or before the next adjourned date, the doctor in charge of the facility shall come to court on July 16, to explain why the medical report was not made available,” Justice Nwite declared earlier.
At the proceedings on Tuesday, Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mordi, told the court that the court order had not been complied with.
Justice Nwite had asked a prison official who brought the Binance executive to court about the development.
The prison official said he got the court order and delivered the order to the Doctor last week Tuesday, adding: “He is not here and I expected him to be here.”
In his response, EFCC counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, told the Judge that he thought that the medical officer would be in court today.
Mordi then prayed the court to issue a bench warrant against the medical officer of the prison service and that his client be remanded in a hospital immediately so that he could be diagnosed to see his true state of health.
“My client came in here in a wheelchair. He has been complaining of back pain. We need to be careful of the life in our hands,” Mordi said.
Iheanacho said he does not dispute the fact that the defendant should be given adequate treatment but he has issues with being remanded in hospital custody.
“I hereby make an order of bench warrant on the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Service, Abraham, to appear before this court,” Justice Nwite declared.
The Court ordered that Gambaryan be taken to the Nizamiye Hospital for a medical checkup for 24 hours, at any time of his choice but under full security.
The case has been adjourned until October 11, 2024, for continuation of trial.
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