Organ Harvesting: UK Court Moves Ekweremadu’s Trial Date To January 31

No respite yet for embattled former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, over his trial on alleged organ harvesting case as the Central Criminal Court in London, the United Kingdom, on Monday moved the trial date backward from May, 2023 to January 31, 2023.

The Old Bailey agreed that arguments would be heard on December 16 or 19, 2022 before the commencement of the trial in January next year.

The lawmaker and his wife, Beatrice, were arrested on June 23, 2022 and charged with alleged conspiracy to traffic a person for organ harvesting in violation of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. He had reportedly arranged to harvest the organ of one David Nwamini for his sick daughter, Sonia Ekweremadu.

He was said to be absent in court on Monday, but his wife, who was released on bail in July and their daughter, Sonia, were present.

Recall that Ekweremadu’s travails increased barely five days ago, when Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the interim forfeiture of his assets following an ex-parte motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, subsequently described the court’s ruling as “hasty” and a “selective judgement”.