Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a Nigerian senator, his wife Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, have been convicted at the Old Bailey for conspiring to traffic a man to the United Kingdom to illegally harvest his kidney.
The case revealed a disturbing organ trafficking plot aimed at helping the Ekweremadus’ daughter, Sonia Ekweremadu, who suffers from kidney failure and requires regular dialysis.
Evidence presented by the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) showed that the defendants sought vulnerable men in Nigeria to illegally donate kidneys for Sonia’s transplant. The victim, a mobile phone trader based in Lagos, was lured with promises of employment and payments ranging from £2,400 to £7,000.
In February 2022, the victim was brought to London, where he was kept under the strict control of the defendants and prepared for surgery to remove his kidney.
The plot was uncovered when the victim courageously reported the trafficking and forced organ donation scheme to Staines Police Station in May 2022. At The Royal Free Hospital, suspicion from a consultant led to the transplant being halted after the victim underwent kidney screening, as medical staff sensed irregularities.
The defendants attempted to conceal their plan by falsely claiming the victim was Sonia’s cousin to obtain his UK visa and coached him to provide false information during medical assessments.
Joanne Jakymec, Chief Crown Prosecutor, stated: “This was a horrific plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by trafficking him to the UK for the purpose of transplanting his kidney.” She added, “The convicted defendants showed utter disregard for the victim’s welfare, health and well-being and used their considerable influence to a high degree of control throughout.”
Detective Inspector Esther Richardson from the Metropolitan Police’s Modern Slavery and Exploitation Command said: “This is a landmark conviction and we commend the victim for his bravery in speaking against these offenders.” She continued, “We could not have done this without our colleagues in the CPS, Human Tissue Authority and other partners, who have worked tirelessly to achieve this result.”
Detective Inspector Richardson also emphasized the importance of specialist officers in understanding the complexities of modern slavery cases and ensuring victims receive full support and protection.
The CPS remains committed to collaborating with law enforcement agencies to bring traffickers and exploiters of vulnerable individuals to justice.
Originally published by UKNIP.
