Organ Trafficking: British Court Sentences Ekweremadu, Wife, Doctor to Prison

• David begs to remain and work in the UK, as “they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria”.

A former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife and their “middleman” have been jailed for an organ-trafficking plot, after bringing a man to the UK from Lagos.

Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice, 56, wanted a new kidney for their 25-year-old daughter Sonia, the Old Bailey heard.

The pair and Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, were previously convicted of conspiring to exploit the man.

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.

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 to the private £80,000 procedure.

During a televised sentence hearing, Mr Justice Johnson recognised Ike Ekweremadu’s “substantial fall from grace”.

He described the politician as someone of high office with multiple properties, domestic staff, maids, chefs and drivers, compared with the victim who could not afford a £25 ticket to travel to Abuja. (BBC)

However, David Nwamini, the would-be kidney donor in the organ trafficking case that sent Senator Ike Ekweremadu to jail, has said he wanted to remain and work in the UK, as “they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria”.

His impact statement was read in court, at the sentencing that saw Ekweremadu, his wife, Beatrice and the doctor-middleman, Obinna Obeta jailed, 10 years and 8 months, 4 years and six months, and 10 years, respectively.

According to David, he was approached with an opportunity to work in the UK, which he had always dreamed of but never thought would happen.

“He (Dr Obina Obeta) did not tell me he brought me here for this reason. He did not tell me anything about this.

“I would have not agreed to any of this. My body is not for sale.

“I worry for my safety in Nigeria. Those people can do anything. I think they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria.

“My plan now is to work and to get an education and to play football,” David said, adding that he does not want to claim compensation from the “bad people” as it would be “cursed and bad luck”.

He also said someone visited his father in Nigeria and asked the father to get him to drop the case.