Binance’s Nigerian Tax Evasion Ruling Set for October After Not Guilty Plea: Report

The world’s top crypto exchange Binance is now facing an October 11th Nigerian court date for tax evasion charges, according to a local report.

A new Ripples Nigeria report indicates Binance entered a not-guilty plea Friday, and Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, set the new October court date to rule on the case after listening to arguments from both sides.

The new court date provides more time for the judge to deliberate on the issues and review the evidence presented by the parties.

The Nigerian government charged Binance and two of its executives with four counts of tax evasion after the platform failed to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), according to the report.

Binance’s attorney Ayodele Omotilewa urged the court to dismiss all charges.

In June, tax evasion charges against Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla were dismissed. However, both still face money laundering charges, which they deny.

In February, Gambaryan was arrested alongside his colleague Anjarwalla, who managed to escape the country. Gambaryan had traveled to Nigeria to engage in regulatory talks.

Two US lawmakers are moving a resolution that demands Nigerian authorities release Gambaryan, a US citizen. If approved, the resolution would also call on the US government to officially declare Gambaryan as a “citizen being wrongfully detained by a foreign government.”

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