Nigerians react as Ekweremadu, wife sentenced to 10 years, 5 years in prison in UK for organ harvesting

Nigerians have reacted to the Former Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and Doctor Obinna Obeta who have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the organ harvesting charges brought against them by a UK court.

The former deputy senate president was jailed for Nine years and eight months while his wife received four years and six months sentence in prison.

The couple and medical “middleman” Dr Obeta, 50 received 10 year prison term.

The trio were found guilty in the Old Bailey in March.

The Ekweremadus’ daughter Sonia, who has a serious kidney condition, wept as she was cleared of the same charge.

At a sentencing hearing on Friday, Ekweremadu was jailed for nine years and eight months, his wife Beatrice was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment while Obeta received a 10-year prison term.

Mr Justice Johnson told the defendants: “In each of your cases, the offence you committed is so serious that neither a fine nor a community sentence can be justified.

“People-trafficking of human organs is a form of slavery.

“It treats human beings and their body parts as commodities to be bought and sold.

“It is a trade that preys on poverty, misery and desperation.”

It was alleged that the 21-year-old street trader was to be rewarded for donating the organ to Sonia Ekweremadu in an £80,000 private procedure at London’s Royal Free Hospital.

The case marked the first time defendants have been convicted under the Modern Slavery Act of an organ harvesting conspiracy.

While it is lawful to donate a kidney, it becomes criminal if money or another material advantage is rewarded.

The prosecution claimed the donor was offered up to £7,000 and promised a better life in the UK.

The donor did not understand until his first appointment with a consultant at the hospital that he was there for a kidney transplant, the Old Bailey was told.

However, during the trial, Ekweremadu and his wife apologised for claiming that the donor was a relative. Hugh Davies, the prosecutor, argued at the court that Ekweremadus and Obeta had treated the man and other potential donors as “disposable assets – spare parts for reward”.

Before today’s court verdict, Ekweremadus’ daughter, Sonia, got pardoned as she was cleared of the same charge after jurors deliberated for nearly 14 hours.

The 25-year-old lady, unfortunately, waved to her parents in tears on Friday as they were led out of the court, Newsflash Nigeria reports.

Newsflash Nigeria understands that organ harvesting is a severe crime in Britain and the maximum punishment for the offence is a life sentence.

Donating a kidney in Britain is legal, but it is a punishable crime for financial or material reward. Ekweremadu and family’s case is said to be the first report of organ harvesting conspiracy charges brought under the UK’s 2015 Modern Slavery Act, this news platform understands.

Victim’s Bravery

Ekweremadu and his wife’s ordeal began after their victim, a 21-year-old from Lagos, Nigeria, summoned the courage to report the family at a police station in the UK.

The victim, whose name could not be mentioned in print for legal reasons, had told authorities that the Ekweremadus had flown him to Britain to harvest his kidney.

He claimed the kidney was intended for Sonia, who remains on dialysis with a renal condition, in return for up to £7,000 ($8,800).

The young man further told the police that he was recruited by a doctor working for the politician and had thought he was coming to the UK to work. He only realised it was for a kidney transplant when he was taken to London’s Royal Free Hospital last year, the court was told.

He fled and slept on the streets for three days after doctors there told him he would not be a suitable donor following preliminary tests.

The testimony at the court said the victim eventually found his way into a police station last May and said he was “looking for someone to save my life”.

Lawyers for the four accused had insisted he was acting “altruistically”, and Ike Ekweremadu told jurors that he feared he was being “scammed”.

See the ways Nigerians have reacted to the judgement:

@Victor Ovedhe, “As your Lordship pleases…….let’s learn to check the consequences of our actions before embarking on it….cos there is no ignorance before the law and the law is no respecter of anyone except Nigerian Laws”.

@Matawal David Bulus: “It is sad that Nigeria didn’t stand for him haven previously served as the number four citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because of primordial sentiments. History will judge this govt for bailing out a drug baron in Saudi Arabia but neglected her senior citizen who was only seeking help for his sick daughter and not only that but also took over his personal properties within the period”.

@Owoeye Ezekiel: This is why foreign countries will never be like Nigeria or any black nations. There is a law set up for any offences committed. In their countries, no one is bigger than the law. Your influence or position in the public cannot save you if you committed any offences. If it’s Nigeria this type of case happens, in fact, the complainers would have turned to accuse the person. Let learn from this… May Lord have mercy

@Justin Ernest: “This should be a wake-up call to our judicial system, indeed this is a true definition of the law is a no respecter of anyone”

@Idemudia Osama Godwin: “They will only spend half of that time and so for those pleading for leniency that is quite a good deal. Lawlessness does not pay but I pity the daughter much”.

@Christian OkoJaja, “Uk no be Nigeria or Africa. This can never happen in Nigeria for now. But, we will get there one day”.

@Chukwuma George Onoroh: “Big lesson to our politician, when you’re in a position create the infrastructure that will be of benefit to you Abd your people, assuming he built a kidney transplant centre in Enugu, his daughter would have had no worry to travel to the UK for any transplant

@Wale Saubana: “UK no be Nigeria that would be outweighed with sentiments and bias. Where’s OBJ letter and national assembly persuasion? Life and blood are very expensive in the UK.

@Sanctity David Onah: Ekweremadu and others judgement, A lesson for NIGERIA judiciary to emulate

@Emperior Bugati: Lesson learnt the hard way. Develop your home. Politicians in the National Assembly for over 2 decades, nothing to show for it. In fact, UK should be putting all Nigerian politicians who travel to their country for medical aid in Jail. I love this.

@Prosper Omumuabuike: “If only this man had constructed a good hospital for his people, one that would have been so good that even politicians and celebrities could be admitted into, he wouldn’t be spending a considerable chunk of his latter days in prison. GOOD FOR HIM!!

@Cnc Edoziem: “Uk 🇬🇧 used them to test the law for the first time. No one has been convicted for such crimes before in the UK 🇬🇧, it shows no highly placed as a black man the white man law must be obeyed. At end of the Ekweremadu’s.

@Uju Umeh: Congratulations Nwanna, at least 8 months has gone. It remains 9yrs. The poor boy you put on the street due to your failure as a legislature to provide good governance has jailed YOU. The irony of life, hope other politicians learn!

@Oladele Oladimeji: “God bless the UK for this wonderful judgment. Best example for all our leaders who find it difficult to provide basic amenities for the masses”.

@Ebuka Victor Ikeakor: “This is nice, serves them right. Develop your country to international standard una no go gree, Criminal Politicians you won’t escape karma. I just wish the same UK court can handle this Election Tribunal”

@Christopher Atte: “GOD bless UK🇬🇧 government! Nigerian justice system will rather hide upon the fears of man to manage Nigerian affairs. I CRY FOR THE GOOD COUNTRY CALLED NIGERIA”

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