Nigerian senator trafficked man to UK to steal a kidney for his daughter
- Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice were found guilty of conspiring to exploit a street trader from Lagos, offering him US$7,600 for his kidney
- The would-be donor said he did not understand that he had been taken to London for a transplant until his first hospital screening appointment
Nigerian senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife have been found guilty of trafficking a man to Britain to provide his kidney to their ill daughter, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said on Thursday.
Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice, 56, were found guilty of conspiring to exploit a street trader from Lagos, who was offered a reward of up to 3.5 million naira (US$7,600) for his kidney.
Nigerian doctor Obinna Obeta, 51, described by prosecutors as a middleman, was also convicted at London’s Old Bailey court on Thursday.
Sonia Ekweremadu, the intended recipient of the organ who has a serious and deteriorating kidney condition and requires dialysis, was found not guilty of any part in the conspiracy.
“This was an horrific plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by trafficking him to the UK for the purpose of transplanting his kidney,” said Joanne Jakymec, Chief Crown Prosecutor.
“The convicted defendants showed utter disregard for the victim’s welfare, health and well-being and used their considerable influence to a high degree of control throughout, with the victim having limited understanding of what was really going on here.”
