By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Ahead of his May 5 conviction, Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to wield diplomatic moves and intervene in the trial of former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and Beatrice, his wife.
Ekweremadu, a serving member of the Nigerian Senate is expected to be sentenced at Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey in the UK on May 5 over organ harvesting offences.
The parliamentarians in a resolution also asked the UK government and the court to “temper justice and mercy” in the sentencing of the lawmaker.
The resolution was passed at plenary session following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Toby Okechukwu, a lawmaker from Enugu, deputy minority leader of the House.
He said: “Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a Nigerian Citizen, serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, and former Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and his wife, Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu, were tried and convicted by the Central Criminal Court, London, the United Kingdom (UK) for offences relating to the breach of the novel Modern Slavery Act 2015.
“The sentencing of the couple is scheduled for May 5, 2023.
“Senator Ike Ekweremadu acted within his limited knowledge of the UK laws and did write to the UK High Commission to support the medical visa application for the potential donor and did declare the purpose of the trip.
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 has been tried and convicted for organ trafficking in the United Kingdom.
His wife, Beatrice, and Obinna Obeta, a doctor involved in the case, were also found guilty by the UK court.
The court held that they conspired to bring the 21-year-old at the centre of the matter to London to exploit him for his kidney.
