Ekweremadu: Embattled lawmaker’s wife defends husband in organ harvesting trial

Ike Ekweremadu has been in custody due to organ harvesting allegations.

• The couple are accused of plotting alongside one Dr Obinna Obeta.

• This was to arrange an illegal kidney transplant for their sick daughter Sonia, 25, who is also named as a defendant.

The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, better known as the Old Bailey, in London, heard testimony from Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu on Tuesday in the case involving organ harvesting that involves both she and her husband, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

In order to organize an unlawful kidney transplant for their sick daughter Sonia, 25, who is also mentioned as a defendant, the couple is accused of conspiring with one Dr. Obinna Obeta.

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They allegedly planned to have a street vendor, age 21, transported from Lagos to London so they could take his organs.

With the trial entering its seventh week, a teary Mrs Ekweremadu took the stand in the former Deputy Senate President’s defence, saying, “My husband is a good man and I have come to trust him.”

The plaintiff attempted to find out how much information the 56-year-old accountant knew about who the alleged victim is.

But, Mrs. Ekweremadu claimed that she was uninformed of a number of extramarital affairs and informed the court that because she was married to a prominent politician and lawyer, she refrained from confronting him.

The victim claimed in court that he was unaware that he was being transported to the UK so that his organs could be harvested. He added that he only learned about the organ donation when he saw private doctors at the Royal Free Hospital.

The study was based on lengthy text communications over the previous two years.

Evidence

The British police are still trying to trace the senator’s brother, Diwe Ekweremadu, who is believed to be in Nigeria and is alleged to have acted as a middleman for the Ekweremadus.

The fourth defendant, 51-year-old general practitioner Dr Obinna Obeta, is said to be a classmate of the senator’s brother and acted as the middleman.

Giving evidence on Monday, Mrs Ekweremadu told jurors, “My family means everything to me. Our children are the most important gift God has given to us and we cherish them.

“Let me paint a picture of one of the things we do as a family: When my first son was at the University of Lancashire studying law he complained about one of the modules, and my husband spent the whole day teaching and guiding him through.

“What I teach my children is this family, each and every one of us, that’s the only thing we have so if anything is happening to your siblings you have to get on it.

“When something is happening to one of us, one of our siblings, nobody will rest until that is solved.”

The mother-of-four, who worked full-time in the Nigerian auditor general’s office, told jurors her husband took care of the household finances, according to the Nigerian custom.

 

ENIGERIA NEWSPAPER