Former Deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, will today continue his legal battle at the Westminster Magistrate Court in the United Kingdom.
He was remanded in police custody on June 30, by the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, following insistence by the prosecutor that the alleged kidney donor, David Nwamini, was 15 years old.
Ekweremadu had appeared in court, alongside his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka, for alleged organ harvesting, but his wife was absent in court last Thursday.
Penultimate week, the London Metropolitan Police had arrested and charged Ekweremadu and his wife with allegedly bringing a child to the UK for organ harvesting.
The UK police had said the alleged donor, later identified as Ukpo Nwamini David, was 15 years old, but his passport data page showed he was born on October 12, 2000, making him 21 years and eight months old.
During last week’s proceedings, Ekweremadu was in the dock, where he confirmed his name and date of birth.
The prosecutor said bail could not be applied to Ekweremadu, because he is a “powerful” man, who is a flight risk, insisting that the “organ donor” in question is a 15-year-old boy.
The case was, again, adjourned to July 7 and transferred to the Westminster Magistrate Court to allow Suella Braverman, UK Attorney General, to determine whether the case could be tried in Nigeria or UK.
It was reported that because part of the alleged offence was committed outside of the United Kingdom, the consent of the Attorney General was required for the case to continue.
Ekweremadu faces a charge of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person for exploitation, under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.
His wife, Beatrice, is charged with arranging or facilitating the travel of another person for exploitation.
Beatrice, 55, according to a report, will appear in court later, due to a delay in her transport from prison.
