The trial of a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, continued on Monday at the Old Bailey Court in Central England, the United Kingdom as the alleged victim of the organ harvesting saga involving the Nigerian lawmaker, has testified.
Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice and a doctor, Obinna Obeta, were arrested in London in June last year and after he was said to have facilitated the process that was meant to harvest the organ of 22-year-old street trader, David Nwamini, who was recruited by the lawmaker to donate his kidney for Ekweremadu’s daughter, Sonia, in violation of UK anti-modern slavery act
Ekweremadu’s 25-year-old daughter Sonia, is also facing charges of conspiring to exploit the man for his organ.
On February 6, the four accused persons appeared in London’s famous Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, for the start of the trial, after previously pleading not guilty. The four accused persons risk life imprisonment if convicted.
While it is legal to donate a kidney in Britain, it is against the law for it to be done based on reward, which might just be the case of the Nigerian lawmaker. That was why prosecutors noted that regardless of whether the Lagos street trader gave his consent, a crime was committed by the wealthy Nigerians.
In Monday’s proceedings at the court, the victim was given the opportunity to tell his own side of the story.
A source said the court gallery was filled with people who were eager to monitor the events in the temple of justice.
The victim who spoke through an interpreter, informed the court that he arrived in the UK on February 20, 2022, to provide his kidney to Sonia Ekweremadu.
“For the first time ever, we have been hearing from a key witness which is a 22-year-old alleged victim who has been giving his own testimony via a video link. He has been speaking through an interpreter,” a source said.
“Today marks the actual day, this time last year, that he arrived in London. We know what happened after that arrival if you have been following this case extensively.
“He, of course, was to come to the United Kingdom to provide his kidney for Sonia Ekweremadu who suffers from a severe significant kidney disease,” the source said.
The Ekweremadus and the doctor are accused of conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, under UK legislation on modern slavery.
Prosecutors said the defendants allegedly planned to have a kidney removed from the man so that it could be given to Sonia.
