UK court sentences Ekweremadu to 10 years imprisonment

The United Kingdom Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, has sentenced former deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu to nine years and eight months imprisonment for organ trafficking.

The court equally sentenced his wife, Beatrice, to four years and six months imprisonment.

TheCornet had reported that Ekweremadu and his wife procured a purported organ donor, who later turned to report to the authorities. The young man was to donate one of his kidneys to Sonia, the ailing daughter of Senator Ekweremadu.

However, during proceedings at the Old Bailey, the purported donor averred he was trafficked to the UK to work and that he was not informed he would donate his kidney.

The judge, Justice Johnson, also sentenced Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, who is said to be the “driving force throughout”, to nine years and eight months in prison. The judge said that Obeta targeted the potential donor who was young, poor and vulnerable.

Justice Johnson said Obeta 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 three 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.

BBC