By Halimah Olamide
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dumped a fundamental rights suit filed by Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, stating that the case was dismissed due to the absence of Anjarwalla’s legal team during the proceedings.
He said the matter was adjourned till Wednesday for mention but no lawyer appeared for the applicant (Anjarwalla).
The judge adjourned the case, expecting Anjarwalla to secure new legal representation promptly.
During the recent court proceedings, despite the case being called, neither Anjarwalla nor legal representation from either party appeared before Justice Ekwo.
Anjarwalla and his colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, had filed separate human rights enforcement suits, against the NSA and EFCC, seeking an order to release them from detention.
The two Crypto-exchange executives, in the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24 and FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24, sued the ONSA and EFCC as 1st and 2nd respondents.
Anjarwalla had approached the court, seeking a declaration that his detention by Nigerian authorities was unlawful and also filed a request for costs in his favour.
He said the detention had placed emotional and financial strain on himself, his family, and relatives.
Kukrubo, whose appearance on Wednesday was solely for Gambaryan, moved a motion seeking to amend his client-originating process
I am minded to grant this amendment,” he said.
The court, however, fined Gambaryan, the sum of N50,000, to be paid to the EFCC, for joining issues in the matter.
Justice Ekwo held that the fine must be paid before the next adjourned date.
He fixed July 9, for the hearing of Gambaryan’s suit, following the hearing of the preliminary objection and the substantive matter.