A bench warrant for the arrest of Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, the Medical Doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre’s health facility has been ordered by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The warrant is based on Dr. Ehizojie’s alleged refusal to produce the medical report of Tigran Gambaryan, a detained executive of Binance Holdings Ltd.
Justice Nwite gave the order following an application by Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, on Tuesday.
Gambaryan was whisked into the court building in a wheelchair earlier in the day.
He, alongside the cryptocurrency firm, is facing a money laundering charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Nwite had, on July 5, ordered the management of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to release the medical certificate of Gambaryan on or before July 16.
The judge gave the order following an application by Mordi.
Mordi had prayed the court to summon Ehizojie to explain why he had allegedly refused to make available his client’s medical report despite an earlier court order.
Gambaryan had, on May 23, collapsed in the open court over alleged ill health.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Mordi informed the court that the judge’s order had not been complied with. In response, the judge questioned the prison official who had brought Gambaryan to court about the situation. The official stated that he had received the court order and delivered it to the doctor on July 9, 2024.
The EFCC counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, mentioned that he had expected the medical officer to be present in court that day. Mordi then requested the court to issue a bench warrant for the medical officer of the correctional centre, requiring him to appear in court at the next adjourned date. He also asked the court to order his client’s immediate transfer to a hospital for a thorough medical examination to determine his true state of health.
While Iheanacho did not dispute the need for Gambaryan to receive adequate treatment, he opposed the request for hospital remand.
After considering the submissions, Justice Nwite expressed disappointment that a government institution would treat a court order with such disregard. “I hereby make an order of bench warrant on the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Service, to appear before this court,” he declared.
The judge also ordered that Gambaryan be taken to the Nizamiye Hospital for medical care for 24 hours at any time of his choice, under full security surveillance.
The matter was adjourned until October 11 and October 18 for the continuation of the trial.
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