A Nigerian Senator was found guilty of planning to harvest organs on Thursday, at the UK’s Old Bailey Court, the Crown Prosecution Service stated in a statement.
According to the announcement, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and Dr. Obinna Obeta were convicted of trafficking a 21-year-old street vendor to the UK to donate a kidney to the Ekweremadus’ daughter.
The Crown Prosecution Service said that the victim was brought to the UK after being promised money and the prospect of a job in the UK, but that he did not realize that he was expected to contribute a kidney in exchange.
Once medical specialists got dubious about the circumstances surrounding the donation and called it off, the victim was forced to sleep on the streets for three days before addressing police at Staines Police Station on May 5, 2022.
Joanne Jakymec, the chief crown prosecutor, described the scheme as “a horrifying attempt to exploit a vulnerable victim by trafficking him to the UK for the purpose of a kidney transplant.”
“The convicted offenders exhibited absolute contempt for the victim’s welfare, health, and well-being and exploited their enormous power to a high degree of control throughout, with the victim having minimal comprehension of what was actually going on here.”
“This is a landmark conviction,” said Detective Inspector Esther Richardson of the Met’s Modern Slavery and Exploitation Division. “We salute the victim for his bravery in coming out against these perpetrators.”
