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Ekweremadu’s wife granted bail in ‘organ harvesting’ trial
Ekweremadu, senator representing Enugu west district, and his wife are currently standing trial over allegations bordering on organ harvesting.
According to a report by Daily Mail on Monday, Beatrice was granted bail when she appeared before the central criminal court in London, better known as the Old Bailey, on Friday.
The lawmaker was, however, said to have been denied bail.
“The position is that I have granted bail to Beatrice subject to some fairly stringent conditions but I have refused bail to Ike,” Richard Marks, the judge, was quoted as saying.
Foundry Chambers, a law firm identified as representatives for the lawmaker and his wife, in a report published on Monday, also spoke on Beatrice’s release.
“Anu Mohindru Q.C., together with Szilvia Booker, at a hearing on 22/07/22 before the Common Sergeant at the Central Criminal Court secured bail for Beatrice Ekweremadu, the wife of the former Nigerian Deputy Senate leader, Ike Ekweremadu, who is charged together with her husband and Obina Obeta, said to be a middleman in relation to these arrangements with offences of arranging or facilitating the travel of David Nwamini Ukpo with a view to him being exploited, contrary to s.2(1) and 5(1) Modern Slavery Act 2015 and conspiracy to commit such an offence,” the statement reads.
“The essence of the allegation against the defendants is that (using intermediaries) they recruited David Ukpo, a homeless Nigerian male living in Lagos and, on 22nd February 2022, brought him to the UK for the purposes of harvesting a kidney from him to be used for the benefit of their daughter.
“An application for bail on Friday was refused for Ike Ekweremadu but granted for Beatrice on strict conditions to ensure her attendance and obviate any concerns of her being a flight risk ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing scheduled to take place on 4th August 2022 and a subsequent trial next year.”
The Harmattan News reports that a United Kingdom-based doctor was accused of conniving with Ekweremadu, and his wife to traffic a homeless man into the UK to harvest his kidney for their daughter.
The doctor, Obinna Obeta, 50, from Southwark, south London, is charged under the Modern Slavery Act.
Obeta, who appeared at Bexley Magistrates’ Court on 13 July, is charged with arranging the travel of 21-year-old Davi Ukpo from Nigeria to the UK.
He is also accused of conspiring with the lawmaker to arrange or facilitate the travel of the man with a view to him being exploited through organ harvesting.