The case of Ekweremadu was heard yesterday at the Central Criminal Court in the United Kingdom
The court has, however, postponed the organ harvesting case involving Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife.
During the last court session, his wife was granted bail Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, are charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person for the purpose of exploitation, specifically organ harvesting.
However, a third person, Obinna Obeta, a medical doctor in London, appeared alongside the duo.
According to reports, the main trial at the Central Criminal Court in Central London will take place in 2023.
In the meantime, a pre-trial hearing for the ex-Deputy Senate President, his wife, and Obeta is set for October 31.
A brief hearing involving former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and a third individual named Obinna Obeta took place just moments ago.
Surprisingly, neither Ekweremadu nor the third individual, Dr Obeta, were physically present in the courtroom.
However, Beatrice Ekweremadu was the only one in the dock.
It was a quick hearing that ended in a matter of minutes.
What is known is that the trial has been rescheduled for 2023. The judge did, however, state that the pre-trial will begin the week of October 31.
Noting that the legislator would appear via video link on October 31, it was stated that there are indications that more people will be arrested in connection with organ harvesting.
In June, Ekweremadu, who represents Enugu West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, was detained at Heathrow Airport after arriving from Turkey.
He had a diplomatic passport, and there were concerns about whether the case violated the Vienna Convention and diplomatic immunity.
Attempts to obtain information from the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom were futile, but it is expected that the lawmaker will be granted immunity to face charges in his home country.
On May 5, the alleged trafficked victim turned himself in to police authorities, claiming that he was being coerced into giving his organs despite being underage.
However, the case became public on June 23 after Ekweremadu and his wife were apprehended by the Metropolitan Police upon their arrival in the UK from Turkey.
According to prosecutors, the couple has a daughter who has a kidney disease and has been on dialysis for quite some time.
The British authorities believe the plan was to use the boy’s organ on their daughter, who requires a kidney transplant.
Though the alleged victim of trafficking, David Nwamini, claimed he was 15 and was coerced into donating his kidney by the Ekweremadus, the Nigerian government provided records proving Nwamini was 21 years old and not a minor.
The Ekweremadus received a temporary reprieve after the Westminster Magistrates’ Court ruled that the alleged trafficked victim is not a minor.
Despite the ruling, the legislator is still charged with conspiring to traffic a person for organ harvesting in violation of the Modern Slavery Act of 2015.
On the People’s Democratic Party, PDP platform, Ekweremadu ran unsuccessfully for the governorship of Enugu in the upcoming general elections in 2023.
