A Nigerian court has decided to postpone the verdict on the bail application for Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at Binance, until October 9. This ruling came after arguments were presented by Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, and the prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, who was against granting bail to Gambaryan. The bail application was submitted on September 2, with Gambaryan’s lawyer citing medical reasons and his deteriorating health conditions as the basis for the request. The American citizen is said to be suffering from various severe health issues such as malaria, pneumonia, tonsillitis, and problems related to a herniated disc, which have significantly impaired his mobility. Due to these health concerns, Mordi urged the court to release Gambaryan on bail for six weeks so he could seek medical treatment.
The situation surrounding Gambaryan’s detention has sparked outrage and condemnation from the cryptocurrency community. A video that recently surfaced showing Gambaryan limping into court elicited strong reactions from critics. Jeff Roberts, a crypto editor at Fortune Magazine, criticized the Nigerian government for its handling of the situation, accusing them of unjustly holding Gambaryan captive in an attempt to extort money from Binance. He went on to describe the treatment of Gambaryan as torture and humiliation, calling out the government’s actions.
Reports from local media outlet Nairametrics have revealed a clash over medical treatment for Gambaryan during his detention. According to a medical report from the State House Annex Clinic in Abuja, Gambaryan allegedly declined prescribed medications and food while in custody. The report stated that a neurosurgeon had recommended medication, physiotherapy, and urgent lumbar discectomy surgery for Gambaryan due to his chronic back pain and anxiety issues that he had been managing for over a decade. Despite medical advice, Gambaryan expressed dissatisfaction with the treatment provided, insisting that the court had directed his care to be administered at Nizamiye Hospital. As a result, he sporadically refused the prescribed treatment and food, hoping to secure a transfer to the hospital of his choice.