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UPDATED: BREAKING: UK court sentences Ekweremadu, wife, “middleman” to 26 years imprisonment

Published

12 months ago

May 5, 2023

Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice

UPDATED: BREAKING: UK court sentences Ekweremadu, wife, “middleman” to 26 years imprisonment

A former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, a medical doctor, Obinna Obeys, who served as the couple’s “middleman”, have been jailed for an organ-trafficking plot, after bringing a man to the UK from Lagos.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu

Senator Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice, 56, wanted a new kidney for their 25-year-old daughter, Sonia, the Old Bailey Court heard.

The couple and Dr Obeta, 50, were previously convicted of conspiring to exploit the man,

BBC report said it was the first such case under modern slavery laws.

Organ-trafficking plot politician and wife guilty

Ike Ekweremadu, who was described by the judge as the “driving force throughout”, was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison.

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Dr Obeta was sentenced to 10 years after the judge found he had targeted the potential donor who was young, poor and vulnerable.

Beatrice Ekweremadu was jailed for four years and six months due to her more limited involvement.

“Middleman” Dr Obinna Obeta and the senator’s wife, Beatrice, were also previously found guilty

Their victim, a poor street trader in Lagos, was brought to the UK to provide a kidney for the Ekweremadus’ daughter.

He fled in fear of his life and walked into a police station exactly a year ago to report what had happened after the Royal Free Hospital called a halt to the private £80,000 procedure.

During a televised sentence hearing, Mr Justice Johnson recognised Ike Ekweremadu’s “substantial fall from grace”.

He described the politician as someone of high office with multiple properties, domestic staff, maids, chefs and drivers, compared with the victim who could not afford a £25 ticket to travel to Abuja.

‘Form of slavery’

Obeta, he said, had lied to doctors and falsely claimed the young potential donor was a cousin of the senator’s daughter who urgently needed a transplant.

The three had left the potential donor facing a “substantial and long term impact on his daily life”, he said.

“People-trafficking across international borders for the harvesting of human organs is a form of slavery,” the judge added.

Sonia Ekweremadu was cleared of wrongdoing and watched her parents being sentenced from the public gallery

In a victim personal statement, the 21-year-old Nigerian market trader, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court he used to “pray every day” to be given the opportunity to come to the UK to work or study.

He said to “make it happen” he agreed to medical tests in Lagos and meetings with doctors in London, believing they were required for his UK visa during the Covid pandemic.

The 21-year-old said he only realised what was planned when he met doctors at the Royal Free Hospital in London who began discussing a kidney transplant.

He told the court he would not had have agreed to it, adding: “My body is not for sale.”

The victim is now being helped by a charity in the UK, according to his lawyer in Nigeria.

In his statement, he said he “can’t think about going home to Nigeria”, as “these people are extremely powerful and I worry for my safety”.

He also refused to apply for financial compensation from the Ekweremadu family, telling a detective he “did not need or want anything from the bad people”.

‘First conviction’

Hugh Davies KC, prosecuting, said all three defendants were guilty of trafficking with the highest level of culpability.

Lynette Woodrow, deputy chief crown prosecutor and national modern slavery lead at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said it had been “our first conviction for trafficking for the purposes of organ removal in England and Wales”.

She said it highlighted an important legal principle which made it irrelevant whether the trafficking victim knew he was coming to the UK to provide a kidney.

“With all trafficking offences,” Ms Woodrow said, “the consent of the person trafficked is no defence. The law is clear; you cannot consent to your own exploitation.”

In the wake of the case the Metropolitan Police and CPS have been working with hospitals and the Human Tissue Authority about actions they should take when concerns about organ trafficking are raised.

UPDATED: BREAKING: UK court sentences Ekweremadu, wife, “middleman” to 26 years imprisonment

BBC

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Anambra: Vigilante arrested for torturing 60-year-old man to death

Published

7 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Anambra State Police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga

Anambra: Vigilante arrested for torturing 60-year-old man to death

Two persons have been apprehended in Anambra State over their alleged involvement in the death of a 60-year-old man.

The incident happened in Nza Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the south east state, according to the police.

The deceased, identified as Mr. Kenneth, was tortured to death by some of his kinsmen, including members of the vigilante operatives over a property dispute.

He was said to have sold a water tank in the family house to resolve some family issues, an act that allegedly prompted his younger brother to arrest him with the help of a vigilante group.

The victim was said to have been subjected to corporal punishment as he was continuously flogged by members of the vigilante operatives engaged by his younger brother.

The wife and children of the deceased have continued to face intimidation and threat over their quest for justice, a source familiar with the development disclosed.

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The source in the community said, “The incident happened some days ago, the man was accused of selling their family water tank. His younger brother went to engage about five vigilante operatives who came to flog him.

“They tied his two hands and continuously flogged him with sticks and other weapons until he became unconscious. They left him after they had seen that he was no longer breathing.

“His wife and children have been subjected to fear and intimidation as they have vowed to deal with them if they continue to seek justice for the death of their father.”

The state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the incident on Friday said one vigilante operative and a relative of the deceased have been arrested.

Ikenga said, “Yes, the incident happened. We have two suspects, one vigilante operative and a relative of the deceased in our custody and they are at the state criminal investigation department at the headquarters.

“Investigation is still ongoing on the matter and we assure you that nothing will be swept under the carpet. More details will be communicated please.”

Anambra: Vigilante arrested for torturing 60-year-old man to death

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Friends swap wives for sex weekend in Lekki, activist claims

Published

16 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Friends swap wives for sex weekend in Lekki, activist claims

Nigerian activist, Comrade Israel Joe, has shaken the table again as he claimed that friends now swap their wives for sex in some parts of Lagos State, Lekki to be precise.

He said this abominable act is not only limited to men as some married women in this same Lekki area of Lagos State, bring in their unmarried friends for three some sex romp just to satisfy their husbands sexual urge and propably keep their marriage.

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The activist who has been a prominent advocate for social justice and moral integrity said on his social media handle that in some parts of Lagos, (Lekki), friends now exchange their wives during weekends based on mutual agreement and this needs to stop.

He wrote: “In some parts of Lagos (Lekki), friends now exchange their wives during weekends. #TableBreaker”

“Some wives now bring their unmarried friends to do 3-sum with their husband to satisfy his urge”

Friends swap wives for sex weekend in Lekki, activist claims

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Bandit leader who forced community to give him chieftaincy title, 2 other kingpins killed in Zamfara

Published

16 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Bandit leader who forced community to give him chieftaincy title, 2 other kingpins killed in Zamfara

Three bandit kingpins terrorizing Zamfara State, along with some of their fighters, have been killed by a joint security taskforce operating in the state.

According to security expert and counter insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, the bandit kingpins included Kachalla Mati, Jammo Baki, and a former police officer, Kachalla Yada.

In a post on X handle Saturday morning, Zagazola Makama said: “Update: Security Intelligence, in joint efforts with the Militia Joint Task Force, have neutralized 3 bandit kingpins in the North West on April 26, 2024.

The kingpins included Kachillaha Mati, Jammo Baki, and one other ex-police personnel, Kachallah Yada, as well as several other fighters in Tidibale in Gangara villages of ISA and Sabon Birnin LG Zamfara State.

Jammo was very dangerous and ruthless, to the extent that he forced the community to give him a chieftaincy title.

On the other hand, Kachallah Yadda, who was an ex-police officer, is in charge of training the bandit on weapons handling as well as illicit arms trafficking.

The ‘suyanization” of the three terrorists was a huge blow to the bandits in Zamfara State and a relief to the people of the North West.

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This also got to show that the initiative of the Zamfara state government in collaboration with the security forces since it vowed to never negotiate with bandits but to crush them by any means is yielding positive results.

The recruitment of the Civilian Joint Task Force, popularly known as Askarawa, to go after the bandits in their enclaves and their hideouts was a major game changer.

Just like in the case of the North East, the worst nightmare of the bandits are the “Askarawa,” or Yansakai, as they are popularly called. This was because they have knowledge of the terrain and know the bandits who have in the past operated openly with impunity.

Within the past few months, the Askarawas have captured and killed hundreds of bandits, their informants, and collaborators. They have also recovered thousands of livestock rustled by the bandits, as well as rescued dozens of abducted victims.

This was why the pressure mounted on the bandits in both military, air, and ground offensives is forcing them to beg for “negotiations” through several videos on social media.”

Attempts by PlatinumPost reporters to confirm the killings of the terrorists by relevant security bodies have not yielded the desired results as of the time of filing this report.