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Ekweremadu denied bail, wife gets freedom in UK over organ harvesting

Nigerian senator, Ike Ekweremadu has been denied bail in the United Kingdom over an alleged plot with his wife to traffic a 21 year old homeless man to the United Kingdom to harvest his kidney for their daughter suffering from kidney failure.

The senator’s wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu, was however granted bail, after the couple had appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday for a bail hearing.

The homeless man was said to have been trafficked into the country from the streets of Lagos for the transplant.

The wife, who is an accountant was charged with arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, between August 1 last year and May 5, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Meanwhile, Ike was charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

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.’

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.

Ike and Beatrice were arrested in the UK on June 21 after flying in to Heathrow from Turkey.

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