Ekweremadu's case brought forward to today as Nigerian senate hires lawyers to defend him

NIGERIA'S former senate president Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice appeared before Uxbridge Magistrate Court this morning after their ongoing trial for organ harvesting was surprisingly brought forward from July 7.

Last week, Senator Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice were arrested by London's Metropolitan Police on suspicion of child trafficking and planned organ harvesting. They were charged before Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

Both of them were denied bail and have been remanded in custody until July 7 when the case will next be heard. In a surprise twist, however, the couple were arraigned in court today, which may be related to the fact that the Nigerian federal government has hired a team of crack lawyers to defend the former deputy senate president.

Yesterday, senate president, Senator Ahmad Lawan announced that the government had hired the legal team through the Nigerian high commission in the UK. He added that a delegation from the senate will visit Senator Ekweremadu and his wife tomorrow in London.

This visit, according to Senator Lawan, would be undertaken by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa. During a closed-door session on the matter yesterday, lawmakers were briefed about Senator Ekweremadu’s travail and apprised the role the Nigerian high commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Sarafa Ishola.

He added that the high commissioner has been ensuring that Ekweremadu gets all necessary assistance. Today's hearing is still ongoing and it has not yet been decided of Senator Ekweremadu will be granted bail or not.