Nigerian court orders arrest of prison doctor as Binance exec is wheelchair-bound
A Nigerian court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, a doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre, currently holding Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan.
Reports from local media state that Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued the warrant after Ehizojie failed to present a medical report on Gambaryan in court.
The court had ordered the correctional facility to deliver the detained Binance exec’s medical report on or before the July 16 hearing. Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, had asked the court to summon Ehizojie to explain why the Binance exec’s reports were not made available.
During the latest hearing, a prison official confirmed that the order was delivered to the doctor, who was absent from court.
As such, Mordi requested the court to issue the bench warrant and remand Gambaryan, who came to the hearing in a wheelchair, to a hospital. He added:
“[Gambaryan] has been complaining of back pain. We need to be careful of the life in our hands.”
The Binance executive had been detained in Nigeria since February. He is currently facing money laundering charges and has been accused of foreign exchange violations.
During his time there, he tested positive for malaria. Further, during a hearing on May 23, he collapsed in open court due to his deteriorating health conditions.
Beyond the court, several United States lawmakers have previously raised concerns over Gambaryan’s health and also criticized the Kuje Prison, which they claim is designed to hold “ISIS combatants.”
U.S. legislator French Hill visited the facility in June and also reported that Gambaryan was suffering from malaria and double pneumonia. According to the lawmaker, he was being denied adequate medical attention and had lost weight.
In the recent hearing, Justice Nwite also criticized Ehizojie’s actions and ordered Gambaryan be taken to Nizamiye Hospital for a 24-hour medical checkup. As of now, the case has been adjourned till Oct. 11.
