These are not the best of times for the family of former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, as his daughter, Sonia, was on Monday docked before a United Kingdom court on charges of trafficking a homeless man into the country for the purpose of harvesting his organs for herself.
According to the Daily Mail, Sonia was accused alongside her father Ike Ekweremadu, 60, her mother Beatrice Ekweremadu, 56, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, 50, of conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploiting the person.
It was reported that Ms Ekweremadu, who was said to have facilitated the man’s travel from Lagos to London to remove one of his kidneys, had not entered a plea but a trial date has been set for January 31, 2023.
Prosecutors claim the plot was to harvest the man’s organ for the benefit of Sonia, who has a kidney-related disease and has been on dialysis for some time.
They four accused were arrested after the young man, who previously lived on the streets of Lagos, turned up at Staines Police Station, claiming he was victim of trafficking.
According to The Daily Mail, the victim told officers he had arrived in the UK on February 20 this year and had been taken to Royal Free Hospital for tests, none of which he consented to.
The victim further claimed he escaped the address and was homeless for three days before going to the police.
The former Senate President and Dr. Obeta are currently on remand in the HMP Wandsworth and the HMP Belmarsh respectively. They did not appear in court, Monday, the report noted.
Mrs Ekweremadu had been granted bail at a hearing in July, however, she appeared in court for her daughter’s arraignment wearing a black head-wrap and long black coat.
Sonia is also on bail and appeared alongside her mother wearing a knitted, patterned sweater vest.
The defendants were due to enter their pleas but this could not take place because of further legal argument.
The trial has been brought forward from May to 31 January next year at the Old Bailey.
Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow, said, “We are told that this court is in a position to accommodate the trial…three months earlier. If an earlier date can be offered, and one can be, then it should be taken.”
The trial will last four weeks and a High Court judge will preside over the hearing.
The Ekweremadus and Obeta will next appear at the Old Bailey on December 16 this year.
