Tax evasion: Lawyer withdraws from fleeing Binance executive’s case against NSA, EFCC

Mr. T.J. Krukrubo (SAN), the head of the legal team, has withdrawn its legal representation for Nadeem Anjarwalla, the fleeing Binance Executive.

Krukrubo announced his legal team’s withdrawal before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, March 28, 2024.

Persecondnews reports that the lawyer filed the latter’s fundamental rights case against the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Detained Binance executives, Anjarwalla and Tigran Gambaryan, had earlier sued the NSA, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, and EFCC, in the suits marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 and FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24, over alleged violations of their fundamental rights.

Krukrubo, however, did not explain his reason for withdrawal.

In his Notice of Withdrawal of Legal Representation dated March 26, 2024, the lawyer urged the court to “take notice that we, Messrs. Aluko and Oyebode, do hereby withdraw our legal presentation for Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Applicant in this suit.”

After he orally applied to withdraw from the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/355/2024, the presiding judge, Justice Ekwo, declared that Anjarwalla no longer has a legal representation in his suit.

The judge adjourned for the applicant and the respondents to do the needful.

Justice Ekwo said:“The learned silk has drawn the attention of the court to his notice of withdrawal. This implies that the applicant has no legal representation.

“I will adjourn to another day so that parties will be able to sort themselves out. Case adjourned to April 8, 2024.”

Persecondnews recalls that the Binance executive had asked the court to declare his detention by Nigerian government officials illegal.

“The continued detention of the applicant by the respondents is causing immense hardship and emotional stress on the applicant, his wife, children, and other members of his family,” he stated in his application.

Persecondnews earlier reported that the Federal Government had slammed a four-count charge against Binance, a prominent crypto currency exchange platform operating in Nigeria.

According to the federal government, the prosecution aims to uphold the nation’s fiscal responsibility and preserve the nation’s economic integrity.

Designated as suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, the lawsuit implicates Binance in a four-count tax evasion accusation.

Also, information broke out that Anjarwalla, 38, escaped on Friday, March 22, 2024, from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast.