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A wealthy Nigerian politician has been found guilty of an organ harvesting plot involving a British hospital in such a legal first. Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, and medical "middleman" Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, were found guilty at the Old Bailey of conspiring to arrange the trip of a young man for the purpose of exploit it to obtain a part of its body. . Ekweremadus' 25-year-old daughter Sonia, who suffers from severe kidney disease, wept in court as she was acquitted by the jury, which deliberated for almost 14 hours.
This is the first time the defendants have been convicted under the Modern Slavery Act for conspiracy to harvest organs.
The victim, a 21-year-old street trader from Lagos, was brought to the UK last year to provide Sonia Ekweremadu with a kidney for a private £80,000 transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
Although it is legal to donate a kidney, it becomes a crime if there is a monetary reward or other material benefit.
The prosecution claimed that the donor was offered up to £7,000 and the promise of a better life in the UK.
It has been alleged that the defendants tried to convince the Royal Free doctors by claiming that he was Ms Ekweremadu's cousin when in fact they were not related.
When her transplant offer fell through, Ms Ekweremadu's family, who have an address in Willesden Green, northwest London, moved to Turkey and set out to find other potential donors, she said.
An investigation was launched after the young man fled London and slept rough for days before entering a police station more than 20 miles away at Staines in Surrey, crying and distraught.
Jurors were told that Sonia Ekweremadu was one of four siblings who had received a private education in the UK.
He was studying for a master's degree at Newcastle University when he fell ill in December 2019.
In September 2021, his father, a prominent Nigerian politician, sought the help of his medically trained brother, Diwe Ekweremadu, to search for a donor, the court heard.
Diwe, who remains in Nigeria, turned to his old classmate, Dr Obeta, from Southwark, south London, who had recently undergone a private kidney transplant at the Royal Free with a Nigerian donor.
In a text message, Diwe told his brother: “I had a long talk last night with my classmate who had a transplant last month. I will inform you.
Dr. Obeta then engaged with Dr. Chris Agbo of Vintage Health Group, a medical tourism company, and an agent to secure a visa for the donor, the court heard.
The donor, who knew the man who donated his kidney to Dr Obeta, was recruited from a street market in Lagos where he earned a few pounds a day selling phone accessories from a wheelbarrow.
He underwent tests in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, before arrangements were made to transport him to the UK last year, the court heard.
In his UK Home Office visa application, the donor was described as Sonia Ekweremadu's cousin and the documents were supported by a letter from Ike, jurors heard.
The court received messages in which Ike Ekweremadu discussed with his brother the costs, including the donor fee of millions of Naira (Nigerian currency), it is alleged.
Ike kept his accountant wife informed of progress via text messages, jurors heard.
A forwarded message from Diwe complaining about a 'huge bill' from 'Dr. Chris', saying, 'It seems like they're all out to exploit people's unfortunate circumstances.'
As travel plans progressed, Sonia was encouraged to build a relationship with the donor via text messages, the jury was told.
Jurors saw a photo of her smiling with him during a meal at a London restaurant.
Royal Free's consultant, Dr. Peter Dupont, concluded that the donor was not a suitable candidate after learning that he had no advice or advice about the risks of the surgery and lacked funds for the lifelong care he would require.
Undeterred, a "corrupt interpreter" was recruited for £1,500 to help with the donor's second hospital meeting with a surgeon, the court heard.
The two doctors agreed on their evaluation and in March of last year Dr. Dupont gave his decision but without any reason, citing patient confidentiality.
Sonia Ekweremadu's family immediately resumed the search for a donor, the court heard.
I slept outside for three days, looking for someone to help me, to save my life.
After entering Staines Police Station, the original donor told police that he did not understand why he had been brought to the UK until he met Dr Dupont.
Expressing his fears, he told police: "The doctor said I was too young, but the man said if you don't do it here he will take me back to Nigeria and he will do it there.
"I slept outside for three days, looking for someone to help me, to save my life."
During the trial, the defendants stated that they believed the donor was acting “altruistically”.
Ike Ekweremadu, who owns some 10 properties in Nigeria and Dubai, told jurors he had trusted medical experts but suspected he had been "ripped off".
On how he treated the donor, prosecutor Hugh Davies KC asked: 'From start to finish, does this show that all he was to you was a body part for sale? Because he was going to get a job and they would pay him the 3.5 million naira, did you think you didn't owe him anything?
The politician replied: “Never. It was a big scam. »
It was a gruesome plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by bringing her to the UK for the purpose of receiving a kidney transplant.
Beatrice Ekweremadu, who worked in the Nigerian Auditor General's office and has a doctorate in accounting, said her husband handled the household finances and she was not involved in finding donors.
They were asked why they had not sought out a member of their own family to "step in" and donate a kidney to their daughter.
Mr Davies said it was "much better for them to buy one and leave the medical risk to someone you don't know".
Sonia Ekweremadu, who still relies on weekly dialysis, refused to testify but was told on her behalf that she knew nothing about a reward being offered to donors.
Dr Obeta's lawyer, Sally Howes KC, told the jury: "He was driven by his desire to help a fellow citizen because no one would understand misery and pain like someone who had experienced it themselves."
This is a historic conviction and we congratulate the victim for her courage in speaking out against these criminals.
Following the guilty verdicts, Judge Johnson sent the defendants to face sentencing on May 5.
Sonia Ekweremadu hugged her father crying as they threw him off the bench.
Chief Crown Prosecutor Joanne Jakymec said: "This was a horrifying plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by bringing her to the UK for the purpose of receiving a kidney transplant."
"The convicted defendants showed complete disregard for the victim's well-being, health and well-being and used their considerable influence with a high degree of control at all times, with the victim having limited understanding of what was really going on here." .
Detective Inspector Esther Richardson, from the Metropolitan Police's Modern Slavery and Exploitation Command, said: "This is a historic conviction and we congratulate the victim on her courage in speaking out against these offenders."
“We could not have achieved this without the help of our colleagues at CPS, the Human Tissue Authority and other partners who have worked tirelessly to achieve this result.
"We understand the challenges of modern slavery cases, as no two investigations are the same. The specialist officers on the Met's Modern Slavery and Exploitation team understand this and we will ensure that victims are supported, reported and protected with the help of our partners.
PA wire
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