The family of Tigran Gambaryan has said the detained Binance executive facing money laundering charges in Nigeria, is unable to walk.
According to a statement issued on Monday, Gambaryan, who has been in detention for six months, has developed severe pain from a herniated disc in his back.
Alleging that Gambaryan has been denied access to appropriate medical care while in custody, they urged the Nigerian government to grant his release on humanitarian grounds.
The Nigerian government had accused Binance and its executives, Tigran Gambaryan and the fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla, of allegedly conspiring to conceal the origin of financial proceeds from their unlawful activities in Nigeria, including $35,400,000.
In the report, on July 30, 2024, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Abraham Ehizojie, a medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre, for failing to produce Gambaryan’s medical report or appear in court.
This order came after Gambaryan’s lawyer drew attention to his health challenges, as he had once appeared in court in a wheelchair.
The counsel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ekene Iheanacho informed the judge that he anticipated the appearance of the medical officer to address the ongoing proceedings regarding the health concerns of detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan.
The family said: “In detention, he has been denied access to appropriate medical care and is now in so much pain from a herniated disc in his back that he can no longer walk. As he is bed-bound, he is forced to take blood thinners to avoid blood clots, and the prison doctor has stated that his muscles have atrophied. They were allowed a brief 5-minute visit on August 15th but have since been blocked from entering again.
“The U.S. Embassy also no longer has access to Tigran, as he is not allowed to use a wheelchair and cannot physically walk to the visitor area.”
The statement further disclosed that the detained Binance executive, has successfully applied to have his case heard during the court’s recess.
Despite the ongoing recess, Justice Nwite’s court, functioning as a vacation court, approved the application with the next hearing date scheduled for September 2, 2024.
Tigran’s wife, Yuki, seized the opportunity to urge the government to release her husband.
“It has been six months since I last hugged my husband and since our children last held their father’s hand.
“Tigran Gambaryan, my husband, a former U.S. federal agent, has now been detained in a Nigerian prison for half a year. His health is deteriorating to the point where he can no longer walk, and he is being inhumanely denied the use of a wheelchair.
“For six months, our living nightmare has been filled with pleas. Pleas to the U.S. government, pleas to the Nigerian government, pleas to the media, pleas to anyone who will listen. I am pleading for their mercy, their understanding, and their humanity. My husband is innocent and needs to be released before it is too late and the damage done to him is irreversible. Six months is too long; please help me bring my husband home,” she stated.
