UK Court Grants Ekweremadu’s Wife Bail, Senator to Remain Behind Bars
- Seems like things are gradually going the way of Senator Ike Ekweremadu in his alleged organ harvesting case
- On Monday, July 26, his wife Beatrice was granted bail by the UK magistrate court in London
- Sadly, Senator Ekweremadu himself will still remain behind bars as he was denied bail by the court
United Kingdom, London - The wife of embattled former deputy Senate President, Beatrice Ekweremadu has been granted bail by a Magistrate court in London, the United Kingdom amid the ongoing trial for an alleged organ harvesting.
The 55-year-old Beatrice was granted bail ahead of her husband, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who is still remanded in police custody, the Vanguard newspaper reported.
Source: Facebook
As reported by Thisday newspaper, the Common Serjeant of London, Judge Richard Marks, said:
“The position is that I have granted bail to Beatrice subject to some fairly stringent conditions but I have refused bail to Ike.’
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Recall that Legit.ng reported that the duo is standing trial for allegedly trafficking a 21-year-old boy from Nigeria to the United Kingdom to harvest his organ.
It was gathered that the boy's organ will be transplanted into their daughter’s body who is said to be suffering from kidney failure.
According to reports gathered, Beatrice was charged with arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, between August 1 last year and May 5, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Meanwhile, Senator Ekweremadu is being charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.
Beatrice's bail will not be appealed, says prosecutor
However, the prosecuting counsel, Tim Probert-Wood will not be contesting the bail of Ekweremadu's wife by the UK court.
Probert-Wood prior to the bail granted to Beatrice had said the charges against the duo were a case of ‘exploitation and the harvesting of an organ.’
He said:
‘The case began on 5 May 2022 when the complainant presented himself at Staines Police Station and claimed he had been transported to this country for the purpose of his kidney being removed.
“He arrived on 20th February 2022 and was taken to Royal Free Hospital where tests were conducted. For the purpose he was there he did not consent to the taking of his kidney. He returned to the house he was staying and his treatment changed dramatically. He described being treated effectively as a slave.”
Meanwhile, proceedings will continue on Thursday, August 4 when the couple will be appearing before the court.
What will happen to Ekweremadu, Beatrice if found guilty?
In another similar development, Senator Ekweremadu and his wife risk some serious jail time if ever found guilty of the allegations on them.
The couple is being charged for bringing a child to the country for organ harvesting and are said to have committed offenses under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.
Under MSA 2015, human trafficking, under which organ harvesting falls, is punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction.
Ike Ekeremadu: Letter shows senator applied for kidney transplant visa
Meanwhile, a letter released by Senator Ekweremadu's media team indicates that the Enugu-born politician informed British authorities that he was taking a boy abroad for a kidney transplant for his daughter.
The letter accompanied the visa application the senator made for the boy addressed to the British High Commission in Abuja.
The document as seen by Legit.ng showed Senator Ekweremadu applied for a visa for the boy named David Nwamini Ukpo on December 28, 2021.
Source: Legit.ng
