Senator Ike Ekweremadu is a prominent Nigerian politician
By Tom Symonds
Home Affairs correspondent
A wealthy Nigerian politician, his wife and their “middleman” have been jailed for an organ-trafficking plot, after bringing a man to the UK from Lagos.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice, 56, wanted the organ for their 25-year-old daughter Sonia, the couple’s trial at the Old Bailey heard.
It is said to be the first such case under modern slavery laws.
Ike Ekweremadu, who was described by the judge as the “driving force throughout”, was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison.
Dr Obeta was sentenced to 10 years after the judge found he had targeted the potential donor who was young, poor and vulnerable.
Beatrice Ekweremadu was jailed for four years and six months due to her more limited involvement.
Image source, Metropolitan Police
“Middleman” Dr Obinna Obeta and the senator’s wife, Beatrice, were also found guilty
During a televised sentence hearing, Mr Justice Johnson recognised Ike Ekweremadu’s “substantial fall from grace”.
He said: “People-trafficking across international borders for the harvesting of human organs is a form of slavery.”
Their victim, a poor street trader in Lagos, was brought to the UK to provide a kidney for the Ekweremadus’ daughter.
He fled in fear of his life and walked into a police station exactly a year ago to report what had happened after the Royal Free Hospital called a halt on the private £80,000 procedure.
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