Organ Harvesting: Ekweremadu, wife drag Immigration, others to court – Newstrends
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Organ Harvesting: Ekweremadu, wife drag Immigration, others to court

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Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, who are currently detained in the United Kingdom, have dragged the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, to court over the controversy surrounding the real age of David Ukpo, who accused them of sponsoring his trip abroad for the purpose of harvesting his organ.

Cited as Defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022, are the Comptroller General of the NIS, the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, two Nigerian banks and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc.

Specifically, the plaintiffs are praying the court for an order directing the NIMC to supply them with the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the biodata information of David Nwamini Ukpo.

They maintained that Ukpo’s National Identification Number, NIN, with No:19438077110, which is in the possession of NIMC, should be produced for the purpose of facilitating the criminal investigation as well as tendering same to establish their innocence with respect to the age of the alleged victim, in the criminal charge pending against them before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court.

Both Ekweremadu and his wife, through their lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, equally sought an order, directing the Immigration boss, to supply them with documents and application form of David Nwamini Ukpo, which was presented for the issuance of his International passport with No. BO0569974.

More so, they sought an order of court directing one of the banks to supply the applicants with the CTC of mandate card and account opening package of account No. 0032551834 maintained by its customer, Ukpo, with Bank Verification Number 22509616391 in the custody of the bank, for the purpose of tendering same to establish the innocence of the applicants with respect to his age in the criminal charges filed against the applicants;

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As well as an order of court directing UBA to supply the applicants with the CTC of mandate card and account opening package of account No. 2195739574 maintained by Ukpo with Bank Verification Number 22509616391 in the custody of the bank, for the purpose of tendering same to establish the innocence of the applicants.

The applicants raised 20 grounds they urged the court to consider before granting their request.

Ekweremadu, through his lawyer, averred that he is a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Enugu West Senatorial District, adding that the 2nd applicant, his wife, is a chartered accountant and civil servant.

“The applicants have a daughter named Sonia Ekweremadu, who is suffering from kidney failure and the applicants have been managing it for about five years.

“The said daughter of the applicants urgently needed kidney transplant to save her life.

“David Nwamini Ukpo, offered to donate one of his kidneys for the daughter of the applicants if his kidney is compatible with that of Miss Sonia Ekweremadu.

“David Nwamini Ukpo informed the applicants that he is twenty-one (21) years of age having being born in the year 2000.

“The 1st applicant supported the visa application of David Nwamini Ukpo to the United Kingdom with a letter to the British High Commission in Nigeria, explaining the purpose of the visit i.e to enable him undergo medical examination in the United Kingdom so that the donor and Sonia Ekweremadu get the best of medical attention.

“After conducting various medical tests, the Royal Free Hospital in London decided that the said David Nwamini Ukpo was not a suitable donor because his kidney is not compatible with that of Sonia Ekweremadu,” the applicants added.

They told the court that Ukpo was asked to return to Nigeria, but rather than do so, he approached the authorities in the United Kingdom for protection from being returned to Nigeria.

“David Nwamini Ukpo told the United Kingdom police that he is fifteen years of age contrary to the information supplied to the applicants by the same David Nwamini Ukpo.

“The applicants verily believe that Ukpo was actually 21 or more having regards to the public records in the custody of the respondents.

“The applicants were arrested by the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom on June 21 for the allegation that they brought a 15-year-old child (a minor) to the UK to harvest his organs.

“The applicants were charged before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, United Kingdom on the 23rd of June 2022 for offences of conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

“The court denied them bail and they are presently in the custody of UK authorities.

“The applicants require documents from the respondents to assist in the fair criminal investigation and as facts in their defence to establish their innocence of the allegation in the charge and to prove that David Nwamini Ukpo is not a minor and indeed consented to the medical examination in the United Kingdom.

“The said David Nwamini Ukpo is presently in care in the custody of British Authorities and he cannot be accessed by the applicants.

“The documents being sought to be handed over to the applicants will support the applicants in their defence and establish their innocence of the charges brought against them.”

Ekweremadu’s elder brother, Bright, who deposed to the affidavit, told the court that Ukpo had informed the detained couple that he was 21 years old and expressed his willingness to held their daughter, Sonia.

Meanwhile, the matter has been assigned to Justice Inyang Ewko who has accordingly fixed it for hearing on July 1.

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the release of at least 313 suspected terrorists detained by the military.

The court ordered their release due to a lack of evidence to charge the suspects after the investigation.

Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, announced this during the operational briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

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He said, “The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of investigation and other ancillary matters.

“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

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Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

One David Ojonugwa has been remanded for allegedly stealing his boss’ N54,142,000 in Lagos State.

An Ebute-Metta Magistrates’ Court ordered the remand of the 25-year-old defendant on Wednesday.

Ojonugwa was arraigned by the police on three counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful interference with property, and stealing.

He pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him by the police.

Consequently, magistrate Adedayo Tella remanded Ojonugwa at the Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till April 24, 2024 for the review of facts and sentencing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Francisca Job, informed the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime in January 2024 at Lorange Water Factory, located at No 3, Olajubu Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos State.

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According to Job, Ojonugwa unlawfully disconnected, removed, tampered, and meddled with one 10KVA generator valued at N250,000, a 12 HP submersible pump machine valued at N200,000, an electric motor for a water line, N1.8m, and bottled water machine, N1m.

Others are one injection machine module at N12m, injection machine module, N14m, one set of four cavity module bottles (150CL) at N9m, one set of four cavity module bottles (75CL), valued at N8m, one set of four cavity module bottles (25CL), valued at N5m, one electric for motor shrink wrapper (75KW) valued at N110,000, two floating switches for the bottled water line valued at N20,000, 200 stainless bolts and nuts for installation valued at N92,000, six stainless rods for the installation of the water line valued at N200,000 and 1,000 pieces of medium-sized catfishes valued at N40,000, items that were stolen by the defendant.

She said that the total value of the items stolen was N54,142,000, properties of one Mrs Teju Adeleke.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 411, 340, and 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

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Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

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Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

Fayoade told newsmen on Wednesday while parading the suspect and 59 others in Lagos, that the suspect also stole another policeman’s rifle in Abeokuta and was declared wanted with his gang members by the Ogun Police Command.

He said that the suspect, simply identified as Seun and his gang had been terrorising Ogun and Lagos States respectively, claiming to be an engineer repairing computers and phones before he ventured into armed robbery.

Speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the parade, the suspect claimed he was doing well in his business until he met a friend called Bado, who introduced him to the robbery operation.

He said their first operation was at Abeokuta, where they went to rob in a two-storey building, adding that he scaled the fence of the building to have access into the compound.

“I was the one who scaled the fence and opened the gate for others to come in. Immediately we entered the building, a policeman guarding the building ran into the toilet.

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“We picked up his rifle and left the place. It was one of us called Michael, who took the rifle to his house.

“Since I joined robbery, I have not killed before now. In our second operation in Lagos, we only collected phones and money.

“We have robbed in Oshodi, Ikorodu and Ifo area of Ogun. We also collected the vehicle from the owner at Abeokuta.

“The motor was driven away by Bado who is our leader. I was introduced to Bado by one Amechi.

“I have once worked with a politician at Mowe, but because he abandoned me and I have nothing to do again, that was why I decided to join robbery. I regret my actions,” he said.

The suspect further claimed that he had only collected ₦210,000 from the proceeds of the three robbery operations he participated in before his arrest.

He appealed to the government to have mercy on him, assuring that if given the opportunity again, he would never return to armed robbery.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police said the suspect would be charged in court after the conclusion of the investigation.

Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

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