Ekweremadu accused of misleading Lagos street trader into believing he was coming to London to work

FORMER deputy senate president Senator Ike Ekweremadu has been accused of misleading the victim at the centre of the organ harvesting scandal after the young man said he came to London believing that he was coming here to work.

In June, Senator Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice were arrested by London's Metropolitan Police on suspicion of child trafficking and planned organ harvesting. They were charged before Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

London-based medical doctor Obinna Obeta, has been charged along with the Ekweremadus with helping to facilitate the travel of Lagos street trader David Ukpo Nwamini to the UK for the purpose of harvesting his kidney. Speaking in court today during the trial's resumption, Mr Nwamini accused Senator Ekweremadu of trying to harvest his kidney.

He told a British court that after he was told his kidney was not compatible, he fled to a police station and begged police officers to save his life. Mr Nwamini, 21, accused Senator Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice of flying him to London in order to harvest his kidney for their 25-year-old daughter Sonia, who has a kidney problem.

Testifying, he told London’s Old Bailey Court that he had slept on the streets for three days after doctors at a London hospital told him he would not be a suitable donor following preliminary tests. He then walked into a police station last May and said he was looking for someone to save his life.

In previous testimony, the former street trader alleged that he was recruited by a doctor working for the politician. He told jurors he thought he was coming to the UK to work and only realised it was for a kidney transplant when he was taken to London’s Royal Free Hospital.

He added: “Nobody told me about kidney transplant.” Mr Nwamini told the court that he would have been paid around £2,000 ($2,418) for the operation and that he had been coached to tell doctors he was part of the Ekweremadu family.

In Britain, it is legal to donate a kidney but not for reward. Prosecutors say regardless of whether or not the Lagos street trader gave his consent, a crime was committed by the Ekweremadus.

Testifying, a consultant doctor said the young man had limited understanding of why he was there and was visibly relieved on being told the transplant would not go ahead. Senator Ekweremadu, 60, is a senator for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for Enugu State.