Ike Ekweremadu, im wife Beatrice Ekweremadu plus one medical 'middleman'
Di Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey United Kingdom go today 5 May 2023, sentence former Deputy President of di Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, im wife Beatrice Ekweremadu plus one medical "middleman".
Dis na afta dem convict Senator Ike Ekweremadu, im wife and one medical "middleman" for March on top accuse of organ-trafficking plot say dem bring one 21-year-old man to di UK from Lagos.
Dem convict Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, im wife Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, say dem conspire to exploit di man for im kidney, in di first of such case under modern slavery laws.
Authorities say dem carry di victim wey be street trader for Lagos go UK last year to provide im kidney for inside one £80,000 private transplant for di Royal Free Hospital for London.
Di prosecution say dem offer am up to £7,000 and promise am opportunities for UK for, and e na only wen e meet doctors for di hospital, e realise wetin dey go on.
Dem allege say di defendants bin dey convince medics for di Royal Free as dem pretend say di victim na Sonia cousin, wey no well and dey collect dialysis every week, wen dem no relate.
Di Old Bailey hear say di organ na for di couple daughter, Sonia wey be 25 years old.
Dem clear am of di same charge.
As di day of di sentencing dey near, many pipo don chook mouth to beg for leniency for Nigerian Senator Ike Ekweremadu from di UK goment.
Obasanjo, Ecowas odas appeal to UK goment
Na former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, first beg on behalf of di couple through one letter e write to di UK court.
For one letter wey dem date April 3, 2023, Obasanjo address di Chief Clerk of di Court, wia e say make authorities consider say Ekweremadu don contribute im qouta to di socio-political development of Nigeria.
"Mr Chief Clerk, I dey very much aware of di current travails and conviction of Ike Ekweremadu and im wife for di United Kingdom wey result from dia being charged wit say dem plan to arrange di travel of one 21-year old from Nigeria to di UK in order to harvest organs for dia daughter.
"I sabi di implications of dia action and I dare say, e dey unpleasant and condemnable and no fit dey tolerated for any sane or civilized society.
"However, e be my sincere desire say for di very warm relations between di United Kingdom and Federal Republic of Nigeria; for im position as one of di distinguished Senators for di Nigerian Parliament, and also for di sake of dia daughter wey dey in question wey her current health condition dey for danger and need urgent medical attention.
"You go use your good offices to intervene and appeal to di court and di goment of di United Kingdom to dey magnanimous enough to temper justice wit mercy and let punishment wey fit need to come to consider dia good character and parental instinct and care," Obasanjo tok.
Meanwhile, Speaker of di Economic Community Of West African States, ECOWAS parliament, Dr Sidie Tunis ask di United Kingdom Court to temper justice wit mercy.
For di letter wey e address to di Chief Clerk, Central Criminal Court Old Bailey, London, di Speaker say although ECOWAS no dey support di crime wey Ekweremadu dey convicted for, dem believe say im don learn im lesson.
"Senator Ekweremadu remain a priceless resource and im long absence sake of dis mata since June 2022 don deny us im invaluable service. We dey fear say if e chop long term for prison, e go affect us," di ECOWAS Speaker tok.
Nigeria Senate on Wednesday request for clemency alias mercy for Ike Ekweremadu and Beatrice wey be im wife, ahead of dia sentencing.
During plenary, Senator Chukwuka Utazi cite Order 10 and 11 to seek di leave of di Senate to request for Clemency on behalf of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and two odas.
Di senate President, Ahmad Lawan say im bin don write one letter to di British Judicial authorities about two-three weeks ago to seek for Clemency on behalf of di Senate.
"I sign di letter and make sure dem deliver am to di authorities for UK. Now we dey use dis particular intervention to seek for clemency for di sentencing."
Oga Ahmad add say wen di British Authorities wan give di sentence, make dem consider say dis na di first time ever wey Senator Ekweremadu dey face dis kain situation.
"Di conviction don already happun but we dey seek Clemency becos dis na di first time our colleague dey involve for dis kind of tin", Lawan tok.
In di same vein, Nigeria House of Representatives also ask di Central Criminal Court and UK goment to temper justice wit mercy wen dem wan sentence, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, im wife, and Dr Obeta.
Lawmaker, Toby Okechukwu move one motion on di need to show mercy to Senator Ekweremadu for di way im dey suffer for United Kingdom.
Anoda member for di house, Rep Nnoli Nnaji support di motion.
Di Speaker of di House, Femi Gbajabiamila tok say im no dey ask make dem abandon di offence, but im dey ask for mercy as na di national responsibility of Nigeria to try and intervene for di issue.
E give example of di arrest of one American female basketballer wey dem arrest for Russia and how di US neva give up until Russia free her upon di crime wey dem say she commit.
Chairman of di Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (Nidcom), Abike Dabiri-Erewa also follow join odas to beg di UK goment to show mercy to former Nigeria Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
For one statement from Abdur-Rahman Balogun Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols of Nidcom inside Abuja, Abike plead wit di court to show compassion and sympathy in dis case.
"I join men and women of goodwill to plead for clemency for Sen. Ike Ekweremadu , if only dem fit consider di psychological trauma, Sonia di daughter, dey pass through knowing say her parents dey for jail becos dem try to save her from health condition wey she no get control ova", Dabiri-Erewa plead.
Madam Abike say although di law say no ignorance bifor di law, Ekweremadu and im wife act under di instincts of parents wey wan save dia sick daughter, and no be for business purposes.
Timeline of Ekweremadu organ harvesting plot saga
Authorities arrest Ike Ekweremadu and im wife for June 2021 2022 afta investigation by di UK Metropolitan Police Specialist team.
Met Police bin tok for inside one statement wey dem share wit BBC Pidgin say:
"Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 [born 10th September, 1966] of Nigeria dey charged wit conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of anoda pesin wit a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.
Ekweremadu, 60 [born 12th May, 1962] of Nigeria dey charged wit conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of anoda pesin wit a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting," di statement tok.
Dem launch di investigation afta detectives dey alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation for May 2022.
Met Police bin say dem safeguard di child and dem dey work closely wit partners for more support.
Den for late March 2023, UK court find di former Nigerian Deputy Senate President, and im wife, plus one medical "middleman" guilty of organ-trafficking plot.Dis na afta weeks of trials on top di organ trafficking plot mata for di Old Bailey.Di court come fix dia sentencing to Friday 5 May, 2023 for UK.
