The arrest and ongoing trial of former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, in the United Kingdom (UK) for alleged involvement in alleged organ harvesting has garnered widespread attention not just in Nigeria but also around the world because of the status of the personalities involved.Already, the senator and his wife have found guilty of organ trafficking in the UK, along with a medical doctor, Dr. Obinna Obeta.
The trio were accused of facilitating the travel of a young man to that country with the intention of exploiting him for his kidney and found guilty as charged. Their conviction was the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.
In the considered opinion of this newspaper, while it is important that justice be served, it is equally expedient that the UK court consider leniency and clemency while sentencing Ekweremadu today.
There is no doubt that organ harvesting is a heinous crime that must be punished severely. Having said this, it is pertinent to note that Ekweremadu’s motives were not for monetary gain or other malicious intentions. He is a father desperate to save the life of his daughter and in that situation did not think through the gravity and implication of the matter for which he is about to be jailed.
Given these circumstances, it is heartening to see that the Nigerian Senate, House of Representatives, and the ECOWAS parliament have all written to the UK on Ekweremadu’s behalf, asking for leniency. Also, chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had made a plea to the United Kingdom (UK) government to show leniency.
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, had earlier written a letter to the Chief Clerk of the Central Criminal Court in London to temper justice with mercy over the conviction of Ekweremadu and his wife. Obasanjo in that letter dated April 3, and addressed to The Chief Clerk, the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, London, titled “Re: Ike Ekweremadu,” said though Ekweremadu’s action was condemnable and unacceptable, he had contributed his quota to the socio-political development of Nigeria, adding that his punishment should consider his past records of good deeds and the plight of his ailing daughter.
As a newspaper, we align with these appeals for leniency. While we acknowledge the gravity of the charges leveled against Ekweremadu and his co-accused, we believe that the circumstances surrounding the crime demand a tempered application of justice. As earlier pointed out, we stress that Ekweremadu and his wife were acting out of parental instinct to save their ailing daughter and not for commercial purposes.
We must not forget that justice is not only about punishment but also about mercy. In this case, it would be just and compassionate for the court to temper justice with mercy. This would not only show that the UK justice system is fair and humane even in matters that bother on the criminal. Still, the UK justice system in yielding to pleas for restraint under justified indignation would also help to foster good relations between Nigeria and that erstwhile colonial master.
Of course, this does not mean that Ekweremadu should be let off the hook entirely. It is important that he faces some consequences for his actions. However, the court should take into account the larger context of this case and the mitigating factors that may warrant a more lenient sentence.
We, earnestly, call on the court to consider the circumstances surrounding the crime and show mercy in the sentencing of Ekweremadu and his co-accused. A mild sentence will equally send a message of hope to those who still believe in the justice system and will help to restore trust in the rule of law.
Curiously, in our view, the federal government, so far, has not thought it fitting enough to intervene on behalf of this senator. It would not have amounted to acquiescing with criminality. Rather, it would have been a demonstration of the willingness on the part of the government to rally round its citizen even in the worst of circumstances.
In the meantime, we hope that this case also highlights the urgent need to fix the healthcare sector in Nigeria. The average budget allocation to the health sector has been around 4.7 per cent over the past two decades, which is unacceptable. It is imperative that the healthcare sector be improved.
Even more than that, in our considered opinion, this unfortunate development ought to be a ringing indictment of the penchant of the rich and mighty to seek medical attention outside of the nation’s shores for the flimsiest of health conditions. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo proved that there are facilities in the country to cater for the taste of even the most highly placed in the society.
We hope that when this is over, enough lessons would have been learnt by those whose responsibility it is to take care of the health facilities that should cater for the needs of all.
