Reps write UK government, seek clemency for Ekweremadu

The house of representatives has asked the UK government and parliament to intervene in the sentencing of Ike Ekweremadu and Beatrice, his wife.

 

The lawmakers want the UK court to “temper justice and mercy” in the sentencing of the lawmaker.

 

The legislators also asked the federal government to take diplomatic steps to “intervene” in the trial of the lawmaker.

 

The resolution was passed at plenary session on Tuesday following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Toby Okechukwu, a lawmaker from Enugu.

 

Following the adoption of the motion, the lawmakers asked the clerk of the lower legislative chamber to “convey” their resolutions in writing to British Embassy, UK government and the parliament.

 

Ekweremadu is due to be sentenced on May 5 at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey in the UK.

 

The former deputy senate president and his wife were found guilty of organ trafficking in March.

 

The jury found that they conspired to bring a 21-year-old to London to exploit him for his kidney.

 

Their daughter, Sonia, was however cleared of the charges.

 

The Ekweremadus were arrested by the London Metropolitan Police in June 2022.

 

They were alleged to have attempted to convince doctors at the Royal Free Hospital in London to perform an £80,000 transplant on the donor who was presented as Sonia’s cousin.

 

However, during the trial, the couple apologised for claiming that the donor was a relative.

 

Hugh Davies, the prosecutor, told the court the Ekweremadus and Obeta had treated the man and other potential donors as “disposable assets – spare parts for reward”.

 

The verdict was the first of its kind under the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.