Abuja Federal High Court Issues Bench Warrant for Arrest of Medical Doctor at Kuje Correctional Centre

Abuja Federal High Court Issues Bench Warrant for Arrest of Doctor at Kuje Correctional Centre

In a dramatic turn of events, the Abuja Federal High Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Dr Abraham Ehizojie, the Medical Doctor at the health facility of Kuje Correctional Centre. The warrant was issued on Tuesday over the alleged refusal to produce the medical report of Tigran Gambaryan, the detained executive of Binance Holdings Ltd.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order following an application by Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN. Mordi had prayed the court to summon Ehizojie to explain why he had allegedly refused to make available his client’s medical report despite the earlier court order.

Gambaryan, who was wheeled into Court 9 of the high-rise building housing the court, is facing a money laundering charge along with the cryptocurrency firm. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had preferred the charges against them.

The court had previously ordered the management of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to release Gambaryan’s medical certificate by a certain date, which was not complied with. Gambaryan had collapsed in court on May 23 due to alleged ill health, raising concerns about his deteriorating health while in custody.

During the hearing on Tuesday, Mordi expressed dissatisfaction with the non-compliance of the court order and requested a bench warrant against the medical officer of the correctional centre. He also asked for his client to be given hospital remand for a thorough medical examination.

Justice Nwite, after hearing the submissions, expressed disappointment at the government institution’s disregard for the court order and issued the bench warrant for the medical doctor. He also ordered Gambaryan to be taken to Nizamiye Hospital for 24-hour medical care under full security surveillance.

The judge adjourned the matter for continuation of the trial and emphasized the importance of ensuring the defendant’s health and safety. The case has been scheduled for further hearings in October.

In related news, Dr Olubukola Akinwunmi from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) gave evidence in the case and was cross-examined by counsel for Binance, the 1st defendant in the criminal charge.

The developments in this case highlight the importance of upholding court orders and ensuring the well-being of individuals in custody, sparking discussions about the treatment of detainees in correctional facilities.