Ekweremadu faces possible lengthy jail term after UK court finds him guilty of organ trafficking

FORMER deputy senate president Senator Ike Ekweremadu is facing the prospect of a lengthy jail sentence in the UK after a London court found him guilty of organ trafficking earlier today.

 

In a landmark ruling at the Old Bailey, Senator Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice and Obinna Obeta, a doctor involved in the case, were found guilty. A jury found that they conspired to bring a victim to London to exploit him for his kidney for their daughter, Sonia, aged 25, although she was cleared of any wrongdoing.

 

Senator Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice were arrested by London's Metropolitan Police in June 2022 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.

 

London-based medical doctor Obinna Obeta, was charged along with the Ekweremadus with helping to facilitate the travel of Lagos street trader David Ukpo Nwamini to the UK for the purpose of harvesting his kidney. Testifying in court, Mr Nwamini, 21, accused Senator Ekweremadu of trying to harvest his kidney.

 

He told a British court that after he was told his kidney was not compatible, he fled to a police station and begged police officers to save his life. A street trader from Lagos, Mr Nwamini  was brought to the UK last year to provide a kidney in an £80,000 private transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

 

He said he was promised opportunities in the UK for helping and that he only realised what was going on when he met doctors at the hospital. While it is lawful to donate a kidney, in the UK, it becomes criminal if there is a reward of money or other material advantage.

 

When Mr Nwamini was rejected as unsuitable, the court heard that the Ekweremadus transferred their interest to Turkey and set about finding another donor. However, Mr Nwamini had reported the matter to the police and the Ekweremadus wwe5e arrested at Heathrow Airport while returning from Turkey.

 

Today, the Old Bailey found Senator Ekweremadu, 60, Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, guilty of conspiring to exploit Mr Nwamini. Now, the trio will be sentenced at the same court on May 5.

 

According to London's Metropolitan Police the guilty verdicts were the first time someone has been convicted in Britain of human trafficking for the purpose of organ harvesting. Detective Inspector Esther Richardson, from the Met’s Modern Slavery and Child Exploitation team, said: “This conviction sends out a clear message across the world, the UK will not tolerate the international industry in illegal organ removal."

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