Organ Harvesting: Ekweremadu, Two Others To Appear In Court Today
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is expected to appear before the Central Criminal Court in the United Kingdom in continuation of his organ harvesting trial.
He as well as his wife, Beatrice and 51-year-old Obinna Obeta who was arrested weeks ago in connection to slavery and exploitation case.
All Fact Newspaper had reported that Ekweremadu and wife were arrested by metropolitan police in UK for an alleged organ harvesting of a minor.
However the alleged victim of trafficking, David Nwamini, who claimed he was 15 and was coerced by the Ekweremadus into donating his kidney, was proven wrong after the Nigerian government provided records to prove that he was 21 years old, and not a minor
According to Channels Television’s correspondent, Juliana Olayinka, Ekweremadu’s case has captured the attention of the world’s media because of its complexity.
Giving more updates, the correspondent said the Senator may be remanded in custody till 2023.
Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West Senatorial District in the National Assembly was in possession of a diplomatic passport with questions bordering on whether the case contravened the Vienna Convention and Diplomatic Immunity.
Efforts to get information from the Nigerian High Commission UK proved abortive, but it is expected that the lawmaker should be given immunity to face charges in his country.
She added, “Why I said this case is complex is because, over the past couple of weeks, it is twisting. What we found out on July 7 when they appeared at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court is that this alleged victim isn’t actually underaged.
“He is indeed a 21-year-old but that doesn’t mean some of the charges that face the Senator are not incredibly serious. He is believed to be in violation of the Modern Slavery Act of Britain (2015).
“This individual is said to have exploited the arrangements of how he got to the United Kingdom. So, the case continues.”
Temporary respite came for the Ekweremadus as the Westminster Magistrates’ Court ruled that the alleged trafficked victim is not a minor. Despite the ruling, the lawmaker still faces charges of conspiring to trafficking a person for organ harvesting in violation of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
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