There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for Ike Ekweremadu, the detained former deputy senate president, and his wife, Beatrice.
This follows an application made on Monday, June 27 to Justice Inyang Ekwo at the Federal High Court, the Abuja division, by his legal team led by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, to compel the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Stanbic-IBTC Bank, the United Bank of Africa (UBA), the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc to present certain documents to prove their innocence in the crime of organ harvesting of an underage person.
Read also: Ekweremadu: Ebonyi govt wades in
In an originating summon marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022, Ekweremadu’s legal team sought an order asking the NIMC to supply them with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the biodata information of David Nwamini Ukpo to enable them to present to the UK government and establish their innocence in the criminal charges against them.
The objective, according to the legal team, is to build their defence against illegal organ trafficking of a minor levelled against them by Ukpo and the British Police. It is also to enable the Ekweremadu’s to gain freedom from detention and squash any further criminal investigation of wrongdoing.
Read also: Melaye reveals document to back Ekweremadu
“An order directing the NIS C-G to supply the applicants with the documents and application form of David Nwamini Ukpo in the possession of the second respondent, presented for the issuance of international passport No. BO0569974 for the purpose of assisting criminal investigation and tendering same before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, UK until July 7 in the alleged criminal charge brought against the applicants,” their prayer read.
All was good until the doctors who were to carry out the kidney transplant found out that Ukpo was not compatible with Susan Ekweremadu. Following this development, Ukpo, who seemed to be enjoying life in the UK, reported them to the police, fearing that he was going to be deported to Nigeria.
Ukpo claimed to be 15 years old, but the biodata page of his international passport and other facts such as testimonies from close friends showed that he isn’t 15 years old, it was gathered.
The legal team also pleaded with Justice Ekwo to ask Stanbic-IBTC and UBA to assist with some of his bank documents for the purpose of building a strong defence against the British authorities.
“An order of court directing the Stanbic-IBTC Bank to supply the applicants with the Certified True Copy of the mandate card and account opening package of account No. 0032551834 maintained by its customer, Ukpo, with Bank Verification Number 22509616391 in the custody of the bank, for the purpose of tendering same to establish the innocence of the applicants with respect to his age in the criminal charges filed against the applicants.”
“An order of court directing UBA to supply the applicants with the Certified True Copy of the mandate card and account opening package of account No. 2195739574 maintained by Ukpo with Bank Verification Number 22509616391 in the custody of the bank, for the purpose of tendering same to establish the innocence of the applicants,” it concluded.
