The Central Criminal Court popularly known as Old Bailey, United Kingdom, has reportedly said that the plea-trial applications of former Deputy Senate
The Central Criminal Court popularly known as Old Bailey, United Kingdom, has reportedly said that the plea-trial applications of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice over organ trafficking scheduled for Monday October 31 will not hold.
The court said it will not be sitting due to the non-availability of Sonia, whose case was established.
“The court official didn’t categorically say whether the Ekweremadus’ sickly graduate daughter, Sonia, is now a defendant in the case, for which her parents were arrested. The Old Bailey official said they won’t have to wait for long, as the “case will be re-listed for sometime during the week,” a court official said.
Speaking further, the court official maintained that although Monday, October 31, 2022, was fixed when the couple and their co-defendant appeared before the judge on August 4, Sonia wasn’t listed in the hearing then, adding, the judge won’t be hearing the case because ‘there’s no counsel for Sonia.
Meanwhile, the trial will commence fully on May 2, 2023. What this means is that Ekweremadu and his wife will remain in detention until after next year’s general elections and a little over three weeks to a change of government.
Recall that Ekweremadu and his wife, on July 23, 2022, were charged with Dr Obinna Obeta, on allegation of wanting to make payment for the procurement of an organ for their daughter, Sonia, from one David Nwamini.
The allegation led to their detention in a UK prison.
The police had alleged that Nwamini the reported victim at the centre of the organ harvesting allegation, is a 15-year-old but the court ruled that he is 21.
The Nigerian lawmaker had written to the UK high commission in December 2021 to support a visa application for Nwamini.
In the letter, Ekweremadu said Nwamini was undergoing medical investigations for a kidney donation to Sonia Ekweremadu, his daughter, who is in need of a kidney transplant, and said both Nwamini and Sonia will be at the Royal Free Hospital London.
