July 26, (THEWILL) – Beatrice Ekweremadu, the wife of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has been granted bail by a London court on Monday.
However, her husband, Senator Ike Ekweremadu was denied bail.
Mrs Beatrice was arrested alongside her husband, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in June, by the Metropolitan police on allegations of trafficking a 21-year-old for the purpose of organ harvesting.
The couple were accused of plotting to traffic 21-year-old Ukpo Uwamini David from Nigeria to the United Kingdom to transplant his organs to their daughter, Sonia Ekweremadu, who is suffering from kidney failure.
Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a barrister and Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, and Beatrice, 55, an accountant, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, for a bail hearing, according to UK-based Daily Mail.
While senator Ike was charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting, Beatrice was charged with arranging or facilitating the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, between August 1 last year and May 5, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The Common Serjeant of London, judge Richard Marks, said: “The position is that I have granted bail to Beatrice, subject to some fairly stringent conditions, but I have refused bail to Ike.’
Prosecutors are not appealing the decision, the court heard.
Prosecutor, Tim Probert-Wood, said previously that the case involved ‘exploitation and the harvesting of an organ.’
The couple were arrested at Heathrow Airport on June 21, after arriving on a flight from Turkey.
He said: ‘The case began on 5 May, 2022, when the complainant presented himself at Staines Police Station and claimed he had been transported to this country for the purpose of his kidney being removed.
“He arrived on 20th February, 2022, and was taken to Royal Free Hospital, where tests were conducted. For the purpose he was there he did not consent to the taking of his kidney. He returned to the house he was staying and his treatment changed dramatically. He described being treated effectively as a slave.”
The victim allegedly escaped the address and was homeless for three days, before he turned up at Staines Police Station.
Martin Hicks, QC, defending Ike Ekweremadu said: “We deny that there was any exploitation or any intent to do so. The argument will be factual denial.”
Earlier, the Westminster Magistrate, Deputy Senior District Judge, Justice Tam Ikram, had made it clear that the complainant, Ukpo Uwamini David was not a minor.
The couple are due to appear at the Old Bailey on 4 August.
About the Author
