Patience Leonard, PBA Journalism MenteeNigerian Senator, Ike Ekweremadu is to appear before Court, today, August 4, in the United Kingdom, over organ harvesting allegation in contravention of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The Westminster Court had adjourned the trial to August 4th, (today). Ekweremadu has been in detention for 42 days as he was denied bail. However, his wife Beatrice Ekweremadu was granted bail under stringent conditions.
The senator and his wife were on June 23rd arrested by London Metropolitan Police at Heathrow Airport upon arrival and charged with conspiracy to traffic a child to the country in order to harvest his organs. They were subsequently arraigned in court on July 7th.
The alleged victim of the trafficking, David Nwamini Ukpo, an indigene of Ebonyi State, had according to reports, told doctors he was 15 and was coerced by the Ekweremadu family to donate his kidney for their daughter who has complications and needed a transplant.
The Westminster Magistrate Court, however, ruled that he wasn’t a minor after the alleged victim admitted he was more than 15 years as earlier stated. Counsel to the defendant also denied the allegations of exploitation laid by Ukpo.
READ ALSO: Organ Harvest: Ekweremadu’s Kidney Donor 21 Not 15 – UK Court Rules
Meanwhile, the Ekweremadus pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against them and the case was transferred to the Central Criminal Court.
In solidarity with the embattled politician, some representatives from Nigeria were present during the previous hearing. They include: former Senate President, David Mark; former Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnanya Abaribe; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Adamu Bulkachuwa; and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
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