The UK Magistrate Court on Thursday denied the Nigerian couple bail over alleged conspiracy of plotting to harvest organs of a minor in the United Kingdom, Straightnews has gathered from agency reports.
Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a People’s Democratic Party politician for 19 years who was once Deputy President of the nation’s Senate, was held with Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, in Britain this month.
Mr Ekweremadu has been an elected senator at the Abuja-based parliament since 2003 after moving into politics after years as a lawyer. His wife, five years his junior, is an academic and doctor and also a major public figure in Nigeria. They are believed to have four adult children.
They are both charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploit, namely organ harvesting. They have been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court today.
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The Metropolitan Police has said the child, who is under the age of 18, at the centre of the alleged plot is in care. Organ harvesting involves removing parts of the body, often for cash and against the victim’s will.
Scotland Yard has not given the gender or the age of the child – or the location of the arrests. But given the suspects are appearing in court in Uxbridge, it is likely they were held at the nearby Heathrow Airport.
Ekweremadu has been in the UK for at least the past fortnight having met with members of the Nigerian community in Britain in Lincoln around 10 days ago.
He tweeted: ”It was a pleasure and an honour to receive a letter of appointment by the University of Lincoln, UK, as Visiting Professor of Corporate and International Linkages. I also got a highly treasured gift – a copy of the Magna Carta. It was created in 1215, about 807 years ago.”
The investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022, the force said.
The court remanded the Senator and his wife in the UK Custody while the court has adjourned the matter to July 7.
The suspects were arrested at Heathrow airport on their way to Instabul. Reports claim they were planning to procure a kidney from a donor in Turkey, after their initial plan failed.
When arrested, Ekweremadu was said to be in possession of $20,000.
