Prominent Philanthropist and British lawyer Hon. Prince Ned Nwoko has described the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu as a victim of circumstance,amid his trial in a London court for alleged human trafficking and organ harvesting.
Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice were arrested by the British security agents on June 23,2022 while travelling with one David Nwamimi Ukpo who claimed to be a 15 – year kidney donor for daughter of the Nigerian senator.
Assessing the Ekweramadu saga, Prince Ned Nwoko in a statement at Abuja said the couple was under trial for alleged violation of the British Modern Slavery Act.
Hon. Nwoko who had Legal education at university of keele and kings college, university of London, before being called to the English bar as a member of Lincoln’s inn, said the case of the Ekweramadus was unfortunate and predictable.
Recalling precedence, Nwoko explained that several prominent Nigerians had unknowningly fallen prey to the manipulation of dependants seeking greener pastures abroad.
Nwoko said Nigerian domestic servants living with benefactors who took them overseas had often turned against their masters when compelled to return home.
According to Nwoko. who currently holds practicing certificate as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
said British laws protect individuals especially the rights
to social security and welfare,a situation he said African domestic workers had often exploited for selfish interests.
He said it was instructive that a Westminster magistrate court in London had identified Ukpo, as a 21 year old boy and not 15 as he earlier claimed to
Police authorities who accused Ekweramadu of conspiring to bring a child to the United Kingdom for organ harvesting.
Nwoko who once owned the biggest law firm among African legal practitioners in the United Kingdom noted that the Ekweramadu issue was a recurring incidence which had landed many unsuspecting elite Nigerians in jail.
” It is unfortunate that distinguished senator Ike Ekweramadu and his wife got entangled in the alleged case of child trafficking.
” From my experience as a practicing lawyer in London dating to the 1990s, many Nigerians and indeed others from parts of Africa had been prosecuted and even jailed as a result of domestic servants,falsely accusing them of maltreatment. I know of 3 medical doctors in diaspora that suffered such prosecution because nannies they employed turned against them with spurious allegations of ill treatment. Girls and boys across Europe and other foreign lands often turn against their masters,to gain asylum.
“With the unfolding trial in Westminster, it is obvious that David lied about his age. Having seen London with it’s decent environment,the boy may have resisted returning to Nigeria, when it was discovered that his kidney did not match that of Ekweramadu’s daughter.The boy will not be a credible witness.He clearly has a lot to hide.
“Organ donation constitutes no crime in UK. It is permissible and legal.
Ekweramadu can only be found guilty by a jury at the crown court if it is proven that he paid the donor for the kidney. Any one can fall sick The lawmaker acted in good faith and in the interest of his daughter and this is evident from his letter to the embassy.
“His plea of not guilty is the right plea at the magistrates court. There are two likely scenarios. Either he is deported to nigeria for prosecution here or the matter is sent to the crown court for trial by jury. Either way I expect them to be acquitted. It is difficult to understand why the wife was also arrested and even more puzzling is why they were refused bail initially . They are good candidates for bail with appropriate conditions especially with the interest shown by the Nigerian embassy
“Nwoko stated.
The former member of House of representatives charged the federal government to intervene fully in the senator Ekweramadu case,given his diplomatic status.
Nwoko who is the PDP Delta North senatorial candidate in the 2023 elections expressed optimism that Ekweramadu and his wife would come out of their trial unscathed.
