Nigeria – Details have emerged regarding the prison sentences handed down to Nigerian politician Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and their middleman, Dr Obinna Obeta, following their conviction for organ harvesting.
According to BBC, Ekweremadu is expected to spend nine years and eight months in prison.
Lengthy sentences for organ-trafficking plot
In 2023, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, were convicted for their involvement in an organ-trafficking plot.
The trio was said to have brought a man from Lagos to the UK with the intention of harvesting his kidney for the Ekweremadus’ 25-year-old daughter, Sonia.
This case is noted to be the first of its kind under modern slavery laws. Ekweremadu, described by the judge as the “driving force throughout,” was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison.
Dr Obeta received a ten-year sentence, while Beatrice Ekweremadu was jailed for four years and six months due to her more limited involvement.
Victim’s ordeal and public reaction
After the Royal Free Hospital halted the private £80,000 procedure, the victim fled in fear and reported the incident to the police.
The case has sparked varied reactions in Nigeria. Some sympathise with Ekweremadu’s efforts to save his daughter, while many others feel justice has been served against a powerful politician exploiting a vulnerable individual.
Ekweremadu gets another court ruling
Legit.ng reported that a Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application challenging an earlier order that granted Ike Ekweremadu, former deputy senate president, access to David Ukpo’s biodata for use in a UK court.
In a ruling delivered on February 5, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the applicant, Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOSCO), lacked the legal standing to initiate the case on Ukpo’s behalf.
The judge ruled that EDOSCO, as an entity, did not have the necessary legal personality to sue or be sued under Article 3 (e) of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009 (FREPR 2009).
