A United Kingdom jury on Thursday found former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56 and medical “middleman” Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, guilty of a conspiracy to “bring a young man to Britain” to give his kidney to his sick daughter.
Following the guilty verdicts by the jury, Justice Johnson remanded the defendants into custody to be sentenced on May 5, 2023.
Sonia, who remains reliant on weekly dialysis, tearfully hugged her father as he was sent down from the dock.
She declined to give evidence but it was said on her behalf she knew nothing of a reward offered to donors.
The Ekweremadus’ 25-year-old daughter, Sonia, who has a serious kidney condition, wept in court as she was cleared by the jury which deliberated for nearly 14 hours.
It was the first time that defendants have been convicted under the Modern Slavery Act of organ harvesting conspiracy.
The victim, a 21-year-old street trader from Lagos, was brought to the UK in 2022 to provide a kidney for Sonia at a cost of £80,000 for private transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
The prosecution claimed that the donor was offered up to £7,000 and a promise of a better life in the UK, adding that the defendants tried to convince medics at the Royal Free by pretending that the victim was Sonia’s cousin whereas they were not related.
But, when the victim was rejected as unsuitable, the Ekweremadus transferred their interest to Turkey and set about finding another donor.
Investigation was later launched after the young man ran away from London and slept rough for days before walking into a police station more than 20 miles away Staines in Surrey, crying and in distress.
The Jurors heard how Sonia was one of four siblings who had been privately educated in the UK and studying for a masters degree at the Newcastle University when she became ill in December 2019.
In September 2021, Senator Ekweremadu, a prominent Nigerian politician, enlisted the help of his medically-trained brother, Diwe Ekweremadu, to search for a donor, the court heard.
Diwe, who remains in Nigeria, turned to former classmate Dr Obeta, of Southwark, south London, who recently had a private kidney transplant at the Royal Free with a Nigerian donor.
In a text, Diwe told his brother: “I had an extensive discussion last night with my classmate who had his transplant last month. I will brief you.”
Dr Obeta then engaged with Dr Chris Agbo, of Vintage Health Group, a medical tourism company, as well as an agent to arrange a visa for the donor, the court heard.
It was gathered that as the travel plans went ahead, Sonia was encouraged to establish a relationship with the donor through text messages, the jurors were told.
The Jurors were also shown a picture of Sonia smiling with him at a meal at a restaurant in London.
However, Royal Free consultant, Dr Peter Dupont, concluded the donor was not an appropriate candidate after learning he had no counselling or advice about the risks of surgery and lacked the funds for the lifelong care he would need.
Undeterred, a “corrupt interpreter” was enlisted for £1,500 to help at the donor’s second hospital meeting with a surgeon, the court was told.
Both medics agreed on their assessment and in March 2022, Dr Dupont gave his decision but no reasons, citing patient confidentiality.
Sonia Ekweremadu’s family immediately resumed their donor search, the court was told.
After walking into 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.
Relaying his fears, he told the UK police saying: “The doctor said I was too young but, the man said if you do not do it here he would carry me back to Nigeria and do it there.
“I was sleeping three days outside around, looking for someone to help me, save my life.”
The Ekweremadus, who have an address in Willesden Green, north-west London, and Dr Obeta, from Southwark, south London, denied the charges against them.
In opening addresses at the Old Bailey in February, lawyers for the defendants insisted they believed the donor, who cannot be identified, was acting “altruistically”.
Senator Ekweremadu, who owns about 10 properties in Nigeria and Dubai, told the jurors he had trusted the medical experts but suspected he was being “scammed”.
Similarly, Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu, who worked in the Nigerian Auditor General’s office and has a PhD in accountancy, said her husband took care of the household finances and she was not involved in the donor search.
