TheNewsGuru

Tag: Beatrice Ekweremadu

  • BREAKING: London court rules David Ukpo in Ekweremadu’s ordeal not a minor

    BREAKING: London court rules David Ukpo in Ekweremadu’s ordeal not a minor

    The Westminster Magistrate Court in London, United Kingdom (UK) has ruled that David Ukpo, who is in the middle of the organ harvesting trial of Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, is not a minor.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the London court passed the ruling on Thursday, while adjourning the case till August 4.

    Earlier, TNG had reported the arrival of Ekweremadu and his at the West Minister Magistrates Court for the continuation of their trial.

    The prosecution have accepted that David Ukpo is 21, contrary to the claim of 15. The case was, thereafter, adjourned and transferred to the Criminal Court in Central London.

    Ekweremadu and Beatrice are to remain in custody till the next hearing date, per the court ruling. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.

    Recall that on Wednesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria ordered the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to supply the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) with the certified true copy (CTC) of biodata information of David Ukpo for onward transmission to the UK.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order following an omnibus application made by Muazu Mohammed, counsel for  NIMC, to the effect.

    Ekweremadu and wife, Beatrice had, in the application dated and filed on June 27 by their lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, sued NIMC and four others.

    Others mentioned in the suit are the Comptroller General (C-G), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Stanbic-IBTC Bank; United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc as 2nd to 5th respondents respectively.

    In the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022, the couple prayed the court for an order directing all the defendants to supply them with the CTC of Ukpo’s biodata in their care for the purpose of facilitating the criminal investigation and tendering same to establish their innocence with respect to Ukpo’s age in the criminal charges against them.

    Justice Ekwo granted the couple’s prayers by directing all the defendants to release the CTC of Ukpo’s biodata to the Ekweremadus.

    In his ruling, Justice Ekwo ordered NIMC to supply the information of biodata of David Ukpo’s national identification number which is in its care to the AGF for onward transmission to the UK.

    The couple were, on June 23, remanded in the UK police custody, after they were first arraigned before the  Uxbridge Magistrate Court for alleged conspiracy to facilitate the travel of Ukpo, alleged to be a minor, for organ harvesting.

    They, however, denied the allegations and the court adjourned till July 7 for hearing.

    Ekweremadu also appeared before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court on June 30 where he was denied a bail.

  • BREAKING: Ekweremadu, Beatrice arrive in court as proceedings begin

    BREAKING: Ekweremadu, Beatrice arrive in court as proceedings begin

    Former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice have arrived at the Westminster Magistrate Court in London, United Kingdom (UK).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ekweremadu and Beatrice arrived in the courtroom two hours after the trial was scheduled to commence.

    The Senator and his wife are facing trial for allegedly coercing a minor that has been identified as David Ukpo to the UK to have his organ harvested to save the life of the Senator’s daughter, Sonia.

    They were arrested by the Metropolitan Police and first charged before Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, which adjourned the case to Westminster Magistrate Court to enable the UK Attorney General, Suella Braverman determine whether the case will be tried in the country or in Nigeria.

    TNG reports there has been counter evidence that Ukpo is not a minor as alleged and that proper documentation took place for his travel to the UK.

    At the time of filing this report, the judge has asked Ekweremadu and Beatrice to confirm their names and address, as well as their dates of birth.

    The proceedings are now in full swing.

    Details shortly…

  • “Release Ukpo’s biodata to Ekweremadu, wife” – Court orders NIS, others

    Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Identify Management Commission (NIMC) and some banks to release the biodata information of David Ukpo to the detained former Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice.

     

    Justice Ekwo gave the order in a ruling on Friday after listening to the lawyer to Ekweremadu and his wife, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).

    Court

     

    Ekweremadu and his wife had in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022 urged the court to among others, order the defendants to supply them with the certified true copies (CTC) of David Ukpo’s biodata information in their care to aid their (plaintiffs) defence in their trial before a United Kingdom Magistrates’ Court, where they are accused of plotting to harvest Ukpo’s organ (kidney).

     

    Other defendants in the suit are: the Comptroller General (C-G), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Stanbic-IBTC Bank; United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc.

     

    At the mention of the case on Friday, Awomolo withdrew against NIBSS, following which Justice Ekwo struck its name off the suit.

     

    Although Awomolo said all the defendants were served, only the UBA was represented by a lawyer among all the defendants.

    Court

     

    When asked by the judge if his client was served, UBA’s lawyer, G. O. Maduka acknowledged service.

     

    Maduka added that, after going through the plaintiffs’ motion on notice, he felt there was no need to react.

     

    Awomolo proceeded to move the motion and drew the court’s attention to letters written by some of the defendants, indicating that they would not honour the plaintiffs’ request for information on Ukpo until there was a court order to that effect.

     

    Ruling, Justice Ekwo said he was satisfied that the defendants had been served with the relevant court documents.

     

    The judge added that by the averments in the application by Ekweremadu and his wife, he was satisfied that their prayers were out to be granted.

     

    “I make an order granting the prayers,” Justice Ekwo ruled.

  • Alleged organ harvest: Court grants Ekweremadu, wife’s request, orders CTC release of Ukpo’s biodata

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and others to release the certified true copy (CTC) of David Ukpo’s biodata to former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the ruling following an originating summon marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022, moved by Ekweremadu’s counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.

    Newsmen report that on June 27,  Ekweremadu and his wife had, in the application dated and filed on June 27 by Awomolo, sued NIMC and four others.

    Others mentioned in the suit are the Comptroller General (C-G), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Stanbic-IBTC Bank; United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc as 2nd to 5th respondents respectively.

    Newsmen reports that the couple were, on June 23, remanded in the UK police custody, after they were arraigned before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court for alleged conspiracy to facilitate the travel of David Ukpo, alleged to be minor, for organ harvesting.

    They, however, denied the allegations and the court adjourned till July 7 for a hearing.

    Ekweremadu also appeared before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court on Thursday where he was denied a bail.
    But in the originating summon, the duo prayed the court for an order directing all the defendants to supply them with the CTC of Ukpo’s biodata information in their care for the purpose of facilitating the criminal investigation and tendering same to establish their innocence with respect to Ukpo’s age in the criminal charges against them before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court.

    When the matter was called, Awomolo informed the court that an application had been filed, seeking the order to strike out the name of the 5th defendant (Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc) and Justice Ekwo granted the prayer.

    The senior lawyer told the court that all the defendants had been served with the court processes.
    Justice Ekwo then asked the lawyer to the 4th defendant (United Bank of Africa), G. O. Maduka, if they were served and he responded in the affirmative.

    According to him, after going through their motion on notice,, we felt we have no reaction to it.
    Moving his motion, Awomolo said the application dated and filed on June 27 was supported by an affidavit and a written address.

    “I respectfully adopted all the processes my lord,” he said.

    Awomolo, however, called the attention of the court to letters written by the defendants, indicating that until his client’s application is granted by the court, “they will not be able to respond to their request.”

    In a short ruling, the judge held that having been satisfied that the defendants had been served and looking at the averments in the application, “I make an order granting the prayers.”

  • Ekweremadu banned by British varsity over ‘organ harvesting’ allegation

    The University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, has banned Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who recently was appointed a visiting professor of Corporate and International Linkages, for alleged conspiracy to harvest the kidney of 15 years old Ukpo Nwamini David.

     

    It would be recalled that on Thursday Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, were arrested and subsequently arraigned in London for alleged organ harvest.

    Ekweremadu

     

    David, according to the prosecution, was trafficked from Nigeria and entered the UK with the passport of a 21-year-old man.

     

    The London Mail yesterday quoted the university’s spokesperson as saying that Ekweremadu’s duties at the institution have been suspended for the time being.

     

    “Visiting professors are often, as is in this case, non-resident at the university, unpaid and advisory,” the university’s spokesperson said.

     

    “We are deeply concerned about the nature of these allegations, but as this is an active police investigation, we cannot comment further at this stage.

     

    “Whilst this matter is subject to investigation, this person will not be undertaking any duties as visiting professor at Lincoln.”

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Ekweremadu had, soon after the university appointment two weeks ago, tweeted: “It was a pleasure and an honour to receive a letter of appointment by the University of Lincoln, UK, as Visiting Professor of Corporate and International Linkages.

     

    ILLEGAL PROCUREMENT OF PASSPORT

    David, the teenager at the centre of the organ harvesting allegation, is said to have entered the United Kingdom (UK) with his age put at 21 years.

    Ekweremadu

     

    The prosecutor said the passport was illegally procured.

    The London Mail, in a report yesterday, said David also did not know that he was taken to London for the purpose of donating his kidney.

     

    “The 15-year-old was given the passport of a 21-year-old in order to get into the UK, but did not know he was there to donate a kidney until he went for a hospital appointment in London, a court heard yesterday (Thursday),” the Mail quoted Prosecutor Damla Ayas as telling the Uxbridge Magistrates Court.

     

    The newspaper added: “After he (David) arrived in the capital in February, he had a string of medical appointments about kidney donation, but a consultant at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, North London, became concerned about the boy’s real age and if he knew he was there to donate an organ, it is alleged.

     

    “’He was provided with a medical travel visa saying the purpose of the travel was to provide medical treatment for the defendants’ daughter who was undergoing dialysis in relation to a number of health issues.

     

    “It was premeditated, it was planned. Blood tests were obtained in Nigeria and he travelled to the UK in February this year.

     

    “He was taken to several medical appointments, in particular a medical appointment at the Royal Free Hospital, and was spoken to by a consultant about the organ harvesting for a kidney transplant.

     

    “The consultant was concerned about his actual age and was concerned he was not aware he was the donor of the kidney. He only found out that the purpose of his visit was for an organ transplant when he visited the hospital.”

     

    The couple are charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

     

    The kidney was meant for their daughter, Sonia, who requires a kidney transplant.

     

    They face a 10 year jail term if found guilty.

     

    David is now under the care of safeguarding authorities and the Metropolitan Police, officials said while the accused persons are being remanded in custody.

     

    The next hearing in the case comes up on July 7 when the court will rule on jurisdiction.

     

     

  • Identity of boy in organ harvest saga of Ekweremadu, wife revealed

    The identity of the “15-year-old” involved in the organ harvest case involving the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu has been revealed.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the identity of the “15-year-old” was revealed as contained in a letter addressed to the Visa Section of the British High Commission in Abuja by Senator Ekweremadu on December 28, 2021.

    However, his age in the passport submitted for the visa application is 21 years.

    The letter obtained by this medium also revealed the identity of Ekweremadu’s daughter, who needed the donation of a kidney from David. The identity of Ekweremadu’s daughter was revealed as Sonia Ekweremadu.

    The letter reads in part: “I am writing in support of the visa application made by Mr Ukpo Nwamini David who is currently having medical investigations for a kidney donation to Ms Sonia Ekweremadu.

    “David and Sonia will be at the Royal Free Hospital London, and I will be providing the necessary funding.

    “I have enclosed a statement of my bank account. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require additional information”.

    See attached letter below:

    letter addressed to the Visa Section of the British High Commission in Abuja by Senator Ekweremadu on December 28, 2021.
    Letter addressed to the Visa Section of the British High Commission in Abuja by Senator Ekweremadu on December 28, 2021.

    Recall that the former Deputy Senate President was arrested along with his wife on their way to Istanbul, Turkey.

    The couple was arrested at Heathrow airport, and according to prosecutors, it is believed that they were on their way to procuring another organ as they were unable to harvest the organ of David.

    The prosecutors at the Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in London narrated how the Ekweremadus allegedly maltreated the young boy, which led to their arrest.

  • Organ harvest: How the bubble burst on Ekweremadu, wife

    Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu were on Thursday charged before the Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in London, United Kingdom (UK).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Ekweremadu and Beatrice were charged for bringing in a 15-year-old boy [name withheld] to the UK with the claim that he was to be given a better life.

    Prosecutors at the London court, however, narrated how the Ekweremadus allegedly maltreated the young boy, which led to their arrest.

    According to the prosecutors, Senator Ekweremadu and Beatrice have a daughter, who has a kidney-related disease and has been on dialysis for quite some time.

    Arise TV reported that the Ekweremadus then trafficked the 15-year-old boy from Lagos to the UK with the ulterior motive to harvest his organ.

    They told the court that it is believed that the plan was to use an organ from the boy on their daughter who appears to need a kidney transplant.

    The prosecutors at the court said the Ekweremadus brought the boy into the UK with the claim that he was to be given a better life but was actually to have his organ harvested.

    Arise TV reports that according to the prosecutors, the Ekweremadus found the boy off the streets in Lagos, he was homeless and they brought him to the UK under the pretence of offering him a better life.

    The prosecutors told the court that the former Deputy Senate President procured a passport for the boy and claimed he was 21 years old but they discovered that he was 15 years old.

    The bubble burst after the boy truthfully disclosed his age, 15, to the doctors at the Royal Free Hospital in the UK.

    TNG reports the doctors then cancelled the procedure and the boy was immediately taken into the custody of the family, who according to the prosecutors treated him like a slave until he escaped and found his way to the police, where an investigation started, leading to the arrest of the couple.

    The couple was arrested at Heathrow airport, on their way to Istanbul, Turkey and according to the prosecutors, it is believed that they were on their way to procure another organ as they were unable to harvest the organ of the boy.

    The prosecutors also stated that $20,000 cash was found on Mr Ekweremadu.

    However, the defence counsel to Ekweremadu insisted that there was far more than meets the eye regarding the case.

    Ekweremadu and his wife had separate legal representatives and prayed the court to release them on bail but their prayers were dismissed by the Magistrate.

    After much deliberation, the Magistrate ordered their remand in custody till July 7 for the next hearing on the case.

    TNG reports the couple has surrendered their passports to the UK government.

  • BREAKING: London Police arrest Senator Ekweremadu, wife in UK

    BREAKING: London Police arrest Senator Ekweremadu, wife in UK

    Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu have been arrested in the United Kingdom (UK) and remanded in custody.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ekweremadu and Beatrice were arrested for offences related to child trafficking, potential modern slavery and organ harvesting.

    According to a statement by Metropolitan Police obtained by TNG, they will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court later today.

    Ekweremadu and Beatrice were charged with conspiring to arrange the travel of a child [name withheld] into the UK in order to harvest organs.

    The investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.

    Meanwhile, according to the statement by the London police, the child has been safeguarded and is being provided support.

    The statement reads: “A woman and a man were charged today with conspiring to arrange the travel of a child into the UK in order to harvest organs.

    “The charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime team.

    “[A] Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 (10.9.66) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

    “[B] Ike Ekweremadu, 60 (12.05.62) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

    “They have both been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court later today.

    “The investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.

    “A child has been safeguarded and we are working closely with partners on continued support.

    “As criminal proceedings are now under way we will not be providing further details”.

    ALSO READ || See offences UK police are charging Ekweremadu, wife with at Uxbridge Court

    TNG reports Ekweremadu is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He has served in the Senate since May 2003. He was Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate for three consecutive Senate.