Organ Harvesting: Ekweremadu remains in prison as wife gets stringent bail

Former senate deputy president, Ike Ekweremadu, will remain in prison, in London, until August 4, following his prosecution in the United Kingdom on charges of human trafficking and organ harvesting.

Senator Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, allegedly trafficked a 21-year-old man to London from the streets of Lagos in order to harvest his kidney for their ailing daughter who suffers from kidney failure.

The couple appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday for a bail hearing. While Senator Ekweremadu was denied bail, Beatrice, charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, between August 1 last year and May 5, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, was admitted to bail.

Ekweremadu, representing Enugu West in the Nigerian senate, is charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

The Common Serjeant of London, judge Richard Marks, said: “The position is that I have granted bail to Beatrice subject to some fairly stringent conditions but I have refused bail to Ike.”

Prosecutors are not appealing the decision, the court heard.

READ: JUST IN: ‘I lied,’ Organ Donor in Ekweremadu saga confesses

Prosecutor Tim Probert-Wood said previously that the case involved “exploitation and the harvesting of an organ.”

He said: “The case began on 5 May 2022 when the complainant presented himself at Staines Police Station and claimed he had been transported to this country for the purpose of his kidney being removed.

“He arrived on 20th February 2022 and was taken to Royal Free Hospital where tests were conducted.

“For the purpose he was there he did not consent to the taking of his kidney.

“He returned to the house he was staying and his treatment changed dramatically.

“He described being treated effectively as a slave.”

The victim allegedly escaped the address and was homeless for three days before he turned up at Staines Police Station.

Ike and Beatrice were arrested in the UK on 21 June after flying in to Heathrow from Turkey.

Martin Hicks, QC, defending Ike, has said: “We deny that there was any exploitation or any intent to do so.

“The argument will be factual denial.”

The couple are due to appear at the Old Bailey on 4 August.