By John Moses
The trial of cryptocurrency giant Binance Holdings Limited on charges of tax evasion in Nigeria has been postponed after the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, was unavailable to sit on Wednesday due to official commitments elsewhere.
The case, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, had been scheduled for the continuation of the cross-examination of the prosecution’s third witness. The hearing has now been adjourned until 14 October.
News reports that Binance was re-arraigned on 12 July 2024 on a four-count indictment brought by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Nigerian national Ayodele Omotilewa, representing Binance in court, pleaded not guilty on the company’s behalf.
The re-arraignment followed a ruling by Justice Nwite in June, in which he struck out the names of two former Binance executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, from the charge sheet. The decision came after prosecutors submitted an amended charge listing only the company itself as the defendant.
The tax case is one of two legal battles facing Binance in Nigeria. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is also prosecuting the cryptocurrency exchange over alleged money laundering offences involving $35.4 million.
The amended tax evasion charge was filed on 14 June 2024, a day after it was dated. The FIRS maintains that Binance failed to meet its tax obligations in Nigeria, an allegation the company denies.
