The Head of Financial Crime Compliance with the cryptocurrency trading platform, Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, slumped during the proceeding at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Gambaryan and Binance for alleged money laundering and tax evasion.
Gambaryan, who sat behind in the courtroom, did not proceed to the dock immediately when the matter was called by the registrar.
He later approached the dock when Justice Emeka Nwite asked where the 2nd defendant (Gambaryan) was.
The Binance executive was assisted by one of the defence lawyers as he walked towards the dock but slumped before he got there.
The incident immediately caused anxiety in court as lawyers and others watched the Binance official as he struggled to stand up in the courtroom.
He was later assisted up and made to sit in the front row.
The defence counsel, Mark Mordi, told the judge his client was ill and a letter had been filed to notify the court of his health.
He said: “My lord, the case may not certainly proceed today.”
By: Babajide Okeowo
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