Ekweremadu: What United Kingdom laws say about organ harvesting

Following the charges of human trafficking and organ harvesting filed against former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Nwanneka Ekweremadu, Newsflash Nigeria highlighted the United Kingdom’s laws about organ harvesting.

David Ukpo Nwamini, the alleged 15-year-old boy who was taken to the United Kingdom by Ekweremadu.

The boy was flown to the UK to donate one of his kidneys to Ike Ekweremadu’s daughter who has a kidney ailment.

Ekweremadus were arrested and detained by the Metropolitan Police, London, the United Kingdom last Thursday over an alleged conspiracy of organ harvesting.

They were arraigned before a UK Magistrate court on Thursday. Ekweremadu and his wife were subsequently denied bail in court, and the case was adjourned to July 7 for further hearing.

Newsflash Nigeria learnt that Ekweremadu and his wife may bag a life sentence if found guilty of the offence.

According to the UK laws, the politician and his spouse could be prosecuted for slavery, servitude or compulsory labour; s-xual exploitation of a child under their care as entrenched under the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.

An International passport of David Nwamini sighted by Newsflash Nigeria last week revealed that he is not a minor. However, the UK laws will take their course after interrogation.

The law says, “The United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 frowns at human trafficking under which organ harvesting falls and is punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction.

The Act partly reads, “Under S. 2, an individual commits an offence if they arrange or facilitate the travel of another with a view to that person being exploited. It is irrelevant whether that person consents to the travel, or whether they are a child or an adult.

“Under S. 3 of MSA 2015, exploitation includes: slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour; s*xual exploitation (which involves the commission of an offence under s 1(1)(a) of the Protection of Children’s Act 1978 (indecent photographs of children), or Pt 1 of SOA 2003 (eg, rape or s*xual assault); removal of organs where a person is encouraged required or expected to do anything which involves the commission of an offence under ss 32 or 33 of the Human Tissue Act 2004 (prohibition of commercial dealings in organs and restrictions on the use of live donors); securing services etc by force, threats or deception; securing services etc from children and vulnerable persons (eg, physically or mentally ill or disabled).”

It further stated that anyone found guilty of “human trafficking is liable on summary conviction to 12 months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine,” adding that “on conviction on indictment, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment.

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Ilesanmi Adekanbi

Ilesanmi Adekanbi, writers and loves writing the story of politics, He is a movie addict. Adekanbi is a Senior Content Creator at Newsflash Nigeria contact me on email: [email protected]

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