Ike Ekweremadu, wife, others found guilty of organ harvesting by UK court
Ike Ekweremadu, Former Nigerian Deputy Senate President, wife, daughter and a doctor have been convicted of organ trafficking, in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.
The Nigerian politician, his wife, Beatrice; daughter, Sonia; and Dr Obinna Obeta, were and found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation.
Furthermore, the suspects were said to have criiminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney, the jury found.
Meanwhile, The UK Guardian stated that he could not reveal the name of the donor for legal reasons.
In addition, he said that the donor had been offered an illegal reward to offer his kidney to the senator’s daughter.
Before the involvement of the court, the man was falsely presented to a private renal unit at Royal Free hospital in London as Sonia’s cousin in a failed attempt to persuade medics to carry out an £80,000 transplant in February 2022.
Also, the court heard that a medical secretary at the hospital acted as an Igbo translator between the man and the doctors to help try to convince them he was an altruistic donor.
Notwithstanding, The prosecutor, Hugh Davies KC told the court that Ike Ekweremadu and Obeta had treated the man and other potential donors as “disposable assets – spare parts for reward”.
He said they entered an “emotionally cold commercial transaction” with the man.
However, Ike Ekweremadu, who denied the charge, told the court he was the victim of a scam.
Meanwhile, Obeta, who also denied the charge, claimed the man was not offered a reward for his kidney and was acting altruistically.
Ike Ekweremadu’s wife, Beatrice denied any knowledge of the alleged conspiracy while Sonia did not give evidence.
However, whatsApp messages showed to the court revealed Obeta charged Ekweremadu N4.5 million (about £8,000) made up of an “agent fee” and a “donor fee”.
The judge, Justice Jeremy Johnson, will pass a sentence on 5 May.
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