Organ transplant: UK court grants Ekweremadu’s wife bail

Wife of Nigeria Senator Ike Ekweremadu was on Monday granted bail by judge Richard Marks in the United kingdom.

The 55 years old alongside her husband had been arraigned before the court over the exploitation of a 21 year old man who was brought into the country for organ harvesting.

Beatrice Ekweremadu and her husband had been arrested for plotting to harvest the kidney of a 21-year-old man and transplant it to their daughter who suffers from kidney failure.

The judge granted bail to Ekweremadu’s wife based on stringent conditions. But Ike Ekweremadu was denied bail.

‘The position is that I have granted bail to Beatrice subject to some fairly stringent conditions but I have refused bail to Ike,” Daily Mail quoted The Common Serjeant of London judge Richard Marks as saying.

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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 prosecutor also reiterated the charges against Ekweremadu and his wife.
He said: ‘The case began on May5, 2022 when the complainant presented himself at Staines Police Station and claimed he had been transported to this country for his kidney to be removed.

“He arrived on February 20, 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 in and his treatment changed dramatically.
“He described being treated effectively as a slave.”

However, the defence counsel Martin Hicks, QC, defending Ike, said: ‘We deny that there was any exploitation or any intent to do so.
“The argument will be factual denial.”
The couple are due to appear at the Old Bailey court on August 4.