The federal government has begun talks with the Kenyan authorities for the extradition of the fleeing executive of Binance Holdings Ltd, Mr Nadeem Anjarwalla, who is hiding in that east African country.
Anjarwalla, who is a suspect in the federal government’s ongoing probe into Binance activities in Nigeria, escaped from custody on March 22.
It was gathered that the fugitive went into hiding as soon as he arrived in Kenya.
BusinessDay quoted sources in the presidency as saying that Anjarwalla, who attempted to conceal his whereabouts upon arrival in Kenya, had been located and collaborative efforts are underway to repatriate him to Nigeria to stand trial.
Punch also quoted a presidency source as saying: “We have found him. We know where he is. He is in Kenya, and we’re working with the authorities to bring him back to Nigeria.
“All hands are on the deck. The government and all the security agencies are working hard in conjunction with the Kenyan authorities and INTERPOL, to ensure his return to Nigeria to face the charges brought against him.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which is prosecuting the fleeing suspect and another Binance chief, Mr Tigran Gambaryan for economic crimes, confirmed recently that it was working in conjunction with the International Criminal Police Organisation, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the governments of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and Kenya to extradite Anjarwalla.
The extradition is connection with the allegations of money laundering amounting to $35,400,000.
“The takeover of the prosecution of Binance chiefs by the commission is no less a strong message in the direction of EFCC’s resolve to hedge in distortions and disruptions in the country’s forex market.
“Tax evasion, currency speculation and money laundering to the tune of $35.4m are at the foundation of the commission’s five-count charges against Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, the company’s chief executives.
“While Gambaryan is currently in the commission’s net, the process of extraditing the fleeing Anjarwalla is revving in full swing.
“Involved in partnership with the EFCC to nick Anjarwalla in flight are the International Criminal Police Organisation, the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation, the governments of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and Kenya as the clock winds down to his arraignment in absentia alongside the company and Gambaryan,” the EFCC chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, stated in the March edition of the agency’s bulletin ‘EFCC Alert.’
