A former deputy president of the Nigerian senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has been sentenced to nine years and eight months in a UK prison for his role in masterminding a plot to extract a kidney from a young man he had trafficked to London.
The plot was orchestrated to help his ailing daughter, and Ekweremadu was found to be the “motivating factor” behind the scheme.
Ekweremadu’s wife, Beatrice, and Dr Obinna Obeta were also found guilty of their involvement in the plot, which led to the first organ trafficking conviction under the Modern Slavery Act.
The trio was convicted by an Old Bailey jury in March, and their sentences were handed down on Wednesday.
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The victim, a 28-year-old Nigerian man, was promised work in the UK and brought to London, where he was held captive and subjected to physical and emotional abuse.
He was then taken to a hospital and forced to undergo tests to determine if he was a suitable donor for Ekweremadu’s daughter. The plot was eventually uncovered, and the victim was rescued by the authorities.
The sentencing judge described the scheme as “a gross abuse of power” and noted that the victim had been left with physical and psychological scars. He emphasized the seriousness of the crime and the need for a strong deterrent to prevent others from engaging in such acts.
The case has sparked outrage in Nigeria, with many calling for a crackdown on corruption and the exploitation of vulnerable people. The sentencing of Ekweremadu and his co-conspirators sends a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated, and justice will be served.
