The Nigerian government through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has re-arraigned Binance on a four-count charge bordering on alleged tax evasion.
Binance’s representative in the country, Ayodele Omotilewa, was arraigned on Friday, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Omotilewa, however, pleaded not guilty to the four counts before Justice Emeka Nwite.
Binance Holdings Limited is listed as the sole defendant in the amended charge filed by the FIRS on June 14, 2024.
After the plea by the Binance, counsel to FIRS, Moses Ideho, prayed the court for a date, for the commencement of trial.
Subsequently, Justice Nwite, fixed October 11 as the trial date.
Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance, has been facing trial in Nigeria over alleged tax evasion and money laundering in the last few months.
On June 14, the FIRS dropped the tax charges against Gambaryan, after a Federal High Court in Abuja discharged him after the FIRS confirmed the appointment of Omotilewa as the firm’s representative.
However, the EFCC has yet to drop its charges against Binance and its executives.
The anti-graft body had arraigned Binance Holdings Limited, Gambaryan, Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s Regional Manager for Africa, over allegations of money laundering.
But Anjarwalla shockingly escaped from the custody of the Office Of The National Security Adviser (ONSA), leaving Gambaryan to face the charges alone.
