The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the tax evasion case involving Binance Holdings Limited and its executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, who is currently at large.
News About Nigeria reports that the case was brought to court by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The FIRS accused Binance of failing to register with the service for tax purposes and failing to issue invoices to subscribers on its trading platform for the payment of Value Added Taxes (VAT).
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, alleges that Binance evaded taxes while offering taxable services to its subscribers.
During the court proceedings on Thursday, the case was adjourned due to the FIRS’ inability to serve Gambaryan, one of the company’s executives, with the charges.
Gambaryan is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) facing alleged money laundering charges.
News About Nigeria reported that on February 28, Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, were detained by the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
However, Anjarwalla escaped from detention in March.
Reports indicate that Mr. Anjarwalla, 38, escaped on Friday, March 22, from the Abuja guest house where he and Gambaryan were detained.
Guards on duty reportedly escorted him to a nearby mosque for prayers, from where he is believed to have flown out of Abuja using a Middle East airliner.
Mr. Anjarwalla is said to have boarded an international flight despite his British passport, with which he entered Nigeria, remaining in the custody of the Nigerian authorities.
