A UK court today sentenced former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu to nine years and eight months in jail for plotting to harvest a man’s kidney for his sick daughter.
Ekweremadu’s wife, Beatrice, was jailed for four years, six months while Obinna Obeta, a medical doctor got a 10-year sentence for the same offence.
Ekweremadu, his wife, Beatrice and Dr. Obinna Obeta were convicted of conspiracy to arrange the travel of a young Nigerian man who was identified as David Nwamini to Britain in order to exploit him for his kidney. The organ was needed for Ekweremadu’s sick daughter, Sonia.
Their trial lasted for six weeks at the Old Bailey, London’s Central Criminal Court.
The Prosecutor, Hugh Davies told the jury that the behaviour of Ekweremadu showed “entitlement, dishonesty and hypocrisy”.
During a televised sentence hearing, Mr Justice Johnson recognised Ike Ekweremadu’s “substantial fall from grace”.
He described the politician as someone of high office with multiple properties, domestic staff, maids, chefs and drivers compared with the victim, who could not afford a £25 ticket to travel to Abuja.
Obeta, he said, had lied to doctors and falsely claimed the young potential donor was a cousin of the senator’s daughter who urgently needed a transplant.
The Court held the view that Ekweremadu, his wife and Obeta had left the potential donor facing a “substantial and long term impact on his daily life”, he said.
“People-trafficking across international borders for the harvesting of human organs is a form of slavery,” the judge added.
In a victim personal statement, the 21-year-old Nigerian market trader, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court he used to “pray every day” to be given the opportunity to come to the UK to work or study.
The trial of Ekweremadu, Beatrice and Obeta is said to be the first such case under modern slavery laws.
Nigerian politians have always believed that only they and their descendants are entitled to life and living. The masses only exist. That’s why they DO NOT have plans to develop the country or have concerns for the people they govern. God shall surely meet them one after the other, even those whose judgement day seems far away.