Former Deputy Senate President, Dr Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice and Dr Obinna Obeta, are to be sentenced to prison terms on May 5.
The BBC reports that the former Deputy Senate President, 60, his wife 56, and Obeta 50, were convicted for organ trafficking by a UK Court under the Modern Slavery Act for the first time.
It was reported that the Judge, Justice Jeremy Johnson of the Old Bailey Court will pass pass a sentence on the trio on May 5.
Meanwhile, Sonia Ekweremadu, was cleared by the jury.
She reportedly declined to give evidence in court and wept in court.
She later hugged her father in court as he was remanded into custody with others convicted with him.
It was stated that the victim, David Nwamini (Ukpo), was trafficked to the UK in 2022 to provide a kidney in an £80,000 private transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
The police said that Nwamini was offered up to £7,000 and promised opportunities in the UK for helping, without proper briefing of his mission.
The prosecution stated that he only realised that he was to donate his organ when he met doctors at the hospital.
The 21 year old Nwamini was taken to the UK to donate a kidney to Sonia Ekweremadu, 25, is on weekly dialysis for kidney failure.
The prosecutors further said that the Ekweremadu’s presented the young man to the medics at the Royal Free as a cousin of Sonia when they are not related.
“While it is lawful to donate a kidney, it becomes criminal if there is a reward of money or other material advantage. Royal Free consultant, Dr Peter Dupont, concluded the donor was unsuitable after learning he had no counselling or advice about the risks of surgery and lacked funds for the lifelong care he would need.
“The court heard the Ekweremadus then transferred their interest to Turkey and set about finding another donor.
“An investigation was launched after the young man ran away from London and slept rough for days before walking into a police station in Staines, in Surrey, crying and in distress.” The paper reported
The BBC reports that Chief Crown Prosecutor Joanne Jakymec described the conspiracy as a “horrific plot”.
“The convicted defendants showed utter disregard for the victim’s welfare, health and well-being and used their considerable influence to a high degree of control throughout, with the victim having limited understanding of what was really going on here,” she added.
