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Tag: Ike Ekweremadu

  • BREAKING: More trouble for Ekweremadu as court orders forfeiture of his properties

    BREAKING: More trouble for Ekweremadu as court orders forfeiture of his properties

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, ordered an interim forfeiture of 40 landed property linked to Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, former Deputy Senate President.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the order, following an ex-parte motion filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba, lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, are currently in custody in the United Kingdom (UK), over allegations bordering on organ trafficking of David Ukpo, who is said to be a minor.

    Justice Ekwo, who granted the motion, ordered the anti-graft agency to publish the interim forfeiture order of the property in a national daily within seven days.

    The judge directed anybody who had interest in the forfeited property to indicate within 14 days of  the publication of the interim forfeiture order on why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

    Justice Ekwo then adjourned the matter until Dec. 5 for a report.

    The affected property include 10 properties in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the UK, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory.

  • Ex-NUJ secretary offers kidney to Ekweremadu’s daughter

    Ex-NUJ secretary offers kidney to Ekweremadu’s daughter

    Former Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ)- Kaduna State, John Adi, has offered to donate one of his kidneys to Sonia Ekweremadu, the sick daughter of former deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    Ms Ekweremadu on Monday made a public call for kidney donation to save her life.

    She said in a statement that she had to drop out of the university in 2019 after being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease.

    Announcing in a Facebook post titled “Willing to save a soul” on Friday morning, Mr Adi explained that he is making the donation based on God’s directive on the love of one’s neighbour.

    I am doing this on God’s order in the Holy Bible to Love our neighbours as ourselves

    He wrote, “I, Comrade John Femi Adi, a Kaduna based journalist and farmer hereby announce my ‘agape’ decision to donate one of my kidneys to Senator Ekweremadu’s beautiful daughter.

    “I am doing this on God’s order in the Holy Bible to Love our neighbours as ourselves. For further communications, reach me via my official phone number -: 08034210833.”

    A couple of others have also offered their kidneys.

    Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice are facing charges of organ harvesting in the United Kingdom. The couple took a young man, David Ukpo, to London to donate his organ to Sonia but Ukpo reported them to the police, alleging he was forced.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that The daughter of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Sonia, had appealed to members of the public to help donate a kidney to replace her damaged one.

    In a statement on her Instagram page, Sonia, whose parents got into trouble in the United Kingdom in the process of trying to get her a donor, revealed that she suffered a rare kidney disease.Ekweremadu and Beatrice were arrested on June 23 and remanded in a prison in the UK over allegations of plotting to harvest the organ of one David Nwamini for use by their ailing daughter, Sonia.

    But Ekweremadu said the boy was undergoing medical investigations for a kidney donation to Sonia, his daughter, who was in need of a kidney transplant.

    The Instagram statement said, “I, Sonia Ekweremadu, hereby appeal to the general public to come to my aid and save my life. I am 25 years old and a graduate of Media and Communications, University of Coventry.

    “I dropped out of my post-graduate studies at the University of Newcastle in 2019 when I was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease, FSGS Nephrotic Syndrome.”

  • Alleged organ harvesting: Ekweremadu asks court to dismiss Ukpo’s plea

    Alleged organ harvesting: Ekweremadu asks court to dismiss Ukpo’s plea

    Ike Ekweremadu, former Deputy Senate President, and wife, Beatrice, have prayed a Federal High Court, Abuja to dismiss an application filed by David Ukpo, the kidney donor, asking the court to set aside its orders made on July 1 and July 6.

    Ukpo, through his lawyer, Bamidele Igbinedion, had filed a motion on notice, urging Justice Inyang Ekwo to set aside the orders, directing some agencies of government and banks to release his biodata to Ekweremadu and his wife.

    Ukpo, who is currently in the United Kingdom (UK) in connection with the alleged organ harvesting charge against the Ekweremadus, had said that granting the couple’s request violated his fundamental rights to privacy guaranteed by Section 37 of 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    But in a counter affidavit deposed to by Bright Ekweremadu, the immediate younger brother to the ex-deputy senate President, the applicants said Ukpo was not entitled to the reliefs sought as the law does not permit such.

    The counter affidavit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022, was dated and filed on Sept. 8 by their counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN.

    In a 20-pont argument, Ekweremadu averred that though the court gave its ruling on July 1, Ukpo’s right to fair hearing was not breached.

    He said that the documents which were released by the agencies and banks upon the orders of the court had  have been transmitted to the UK and same had been “tendered at the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, and at the Central Criminal Court in the UK and have subsequently formed part of the record of the courts.

    “That I know as a fact that the documents which are already in evidence before those Honourable Courts in the United Kingdom cannot be retrieved by this Honourable Court.

    “That the courts in the United Kingdom are already seised of the documents” and that he was in the last criminal proceeding where the documents were used.

    He said the documents were required to prove the actual age of Ukpo, who claimed to be 15 years of age but believed to be well over 21 years of age

    According to him, if the applicant (Ukpo) had not lied about his age he has nothing to fear and the document would hear him out.

    “That the orders of the Honourable Court made on the Ist and 6th of July, 2022 are the final orders of court,” he said.

    Upon resumed hearing in the matter, Ojonugwa Oguche, counsel for Ukpo, informed that he was served with counter affidavit by the Ekweremadus earlier in the morning and would need to reply on points of law.

    Counsel to the respondents, including that of the Ekweremadus, Eyitayo Falogun, SAN, did not oppose the request and Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Sept. 20 for hearing at the instance of Ukpo’s lawyer.

    The judge then ordered all parties to file and exchange their processes before the next adjourned date.

    On June 27, Ekweremadu, who currently represents Enugu West Senatorial District, and his wife had, in an application dated and filed on June 27 by Awomolo, sued the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and four others following the criminal charge filed against them in the UK.

    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, but the 5th respondent was later dropped form the charge.

    They had sought the order of the court directing all the respondents to release to them certified true copies of Ukpo’s biodata information in their care to enable them present the documents before the UK court and the judge granted the request on July 1.

    Besides, Ekwo also made an order on July 6, directing NIMC to release Ukpo’s information to the Ekweremadus in line with the earlier court order.

    But Ukpo, who sought an order setting aside the court proceedings and the ruling, also prayed for an order setting aside the proceedings and the order made on July, 6.

    Beside these prayers, Ukpo sought an order or perpetual injunction, restraining Ekweremadu and his wife and all the respondents  from executing or further execute the ruling.

  • “Someone should donate a kidney for me in the name of God” – Ike Ekweremadu’s daughter pleads to Nigerians

    “Someone should donate a kidney for me in the name of God” – Ike Ekweremadu’s daughter pleads to Nigerians

    Sonia Chinonso Ekweremadu, daughter of the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has appealed to any Nigerian to assist her with a kidney donation.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that father of the 25-yr-old Sonia, in the process of trying to get a kidney for her, got arrested and is still in prison in the United Kingdom.

     

    Sonia via her Instagram page appealed to Nigerians to donate a kidney to help her survive. She pleaded with anyone who is touched to donate a kidney for her, to do so in the name of God.

     

    Ailing Ekweremadu’s daughter promised to use her life to help people who have kidney problems when she finally gets a new kidney.

     

    Sonia and Nweze Umahi, son to Ebonyi state Governo Engr. David Umahi Osborne,  graduated From United Kingdom University (University of Coventry).

     

     

    See post below:

    “Someone should donate a kidney for me in the name of God” – Ike Ekweremadu’s daughter pleads to Nigerians

     

    “Someone should donate a kidney for me in the name of God” – Ike Ekweremadu’s daughter pleads to Nigerians

     

    Ekweremadu arrest

    The London Metropolitan Police arrested Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, for conspiring to bring a child to the UK for organ harvesting.

     

    In a statement on its website, the Met Police wrote that “Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

     

    “Ike Ekweremadu, 60, of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.”

     

    While the description given by the police matches that of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, neither the lawmaker nor his aides have commented on the development as of the time of publishing this report.

     

    But the police added that “both been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court later today.

    “Someone should donate a kidney for me in the name of God” – Ike Ekweremadu’s daughter pleads to Nigerians
    Sonia and her father, Senator Ike Ekweremadu

     

    “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 underway we will not be providing further details.”

  • Kidney donor asks court not to release biodata to Ekweremadu

    Kidney donor asks court not to release biodata to Ekweremadu

    David Ukpo, the kidney donor, has urged a Federal High Court, Abuja to set aside its order made on July 1, directing some agencies of government and banks to release his biodata to former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice.

    Ukpo, who is currently in the United Kingdom (UK) in connection with the child trafficking charge against the Ekweremadus, said granting the couple’s request violated his fundamental rights to privacy guaranteed by Section 37 of 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    Ukpo, through his lawyer, Bamidele Igbinedion, filed the motion on notice on Aug. 15 before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

    On June 27,  Ekweremadu and wife had, in an application dated and filed on June 27 by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, sued the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and four others following the criminal charge filed against them in the UK.

    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.

    They had sought the order of the court directing all the respondents to release to them certified true copies of Ukpo’s biodata information in their care to enable them present the documents before the UK court and the judge granted the request on July 1.

    Besides, Ekwo also made an order on July 6, directing NIMC to release Ukpo’s information to the Ekweremadus in line with their earlier court order.

    But Ukpo, who sought an order setting aside the court proceedings and ruling made on July 1, also prayed for an order setting aside the proceedings and the order made on July, 6 in the suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/22.

    Beside these prayers, Ukpo sought an order or perpetual injunction, restraining Ekweremadu and his wife and all the respondents  from executing or further execute the ruling.

    “A further order setting aside the execution or any execution of or compliance with the ruling delivered by this Honourable Court on the 1s! day of July, 2022 and the Order of this Honourable Court made on the 6th day of July, 2022 in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022 by any of the respondents”

    In a  17-ground given by Ukpo, he said the court lacked the jurisdiction ab initio to have entertained the suit or granted any or all of the reliefs sought therein.

    He recalled that on June 27, Ekweremadu and his wife, filed an originating motion before by the court, praying for the disclosure of his biodata Information, bank mandate card and account opening package, application form for international passport and the bank verification information to use in the criminal trial at the Uxbridge Magistrates Court, United Kingdom.

    Ukpo said despite the fact that the said reliefs were sought against his fundamental and civil rights to privacy guaranteed by the law, and his interest adversely affected by the aforesaid reliefs, he was neither made a party to the said originating motion nor was he served with any of processes in this suit to enable him respond thereto.

    He argued that the government agencies and the banks which were made nominal parties to the suit, did not oppose Ekweremadus’ application in any manner because their interests and civil rights were not engaged by the application and reliefs sought therein.

    He said he became aware of the said ruling through social media reports on Facebook and he was deeply aggrieved with the said order(s).

    According to him, the entire proceedings in the suit was conducted in breach of the fundamental rights of the applicant to fair hearing and privacy which are guaranteed by the law.

    “The proceedings in this suit was not done in compliance with the Order 34 Rules 4 and 7(2)(a) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and Section 36 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),” he added.

    When the matter was mentioned on Tuesday, counsel for the Ekweremadus, G. O. Maduka, said he appeared in court in protest.

    Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Sept 13 for hearing.

    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 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 Thursday where he was denied a bail, though his wife, Beatrice, had been granted bail.

  • BREAKING: Senator Ekweremadu to remain in prison till next year

    BREAKING: Senator Ekweremadu to remain in prison till next year

    The provisional trial of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is in prison custody in the United Kingdom (UK) has been scheduled for the 2nd of May 2023.

    Barring any changes, this means Senator Ekweremadu will remain in the UK prison till next year. However, a plea and case management hearing has been scheduled for October 31 this year.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Judge Richard Marks QC as saying the case would be heard by a High Court judge.

    On Thursday, Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu, who is on bail, appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea and directions hearing, with Ekweremadu and Obinna Obeta also attending by video link from Wandsworth and Belmarsh prisons.

    The judge granted Mrs Ekweremadu continued conditional bail and remanded Senator Ekweremadu and Obeta, a 50-year-old London doctor involved in the case, into custody.

    TNG reports Ekweremadu has denied any wrongdoing. Martin Hicks, QC, defending the Senator, has said: “We deny that there was any exploitation or any intent to do so. The argument will be factual denial”.

    Senator Ekweremadu, Mrs Ekweremadu and Obeta are facing trial for plotting to traffic a man to the UK and harvest his organs.

    Prosecutors claim they planned to have his kidney removed at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north west London, so it could be given to their daughter who suffers from kidney failure.

    The man is said to have refused to consent to the procedure after undergoing tests.

    The alleged offences are said to have taken place between between August 1 last year and May 5.

    “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,” Prosecutor Tim Probert-Wood had said.

  • BREAKING: Ekweremadu’s wife granted bail, Senator remains in custody

    BREAKING: Ekweremadu’s wife granted bail, Senator remains in custody

    The wife of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Beatrice has been granted bail in the United Kingdom (UK), where they are facing trial over alleged organ trafficking.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Beatrice was granted bail on Monday but Senator 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,” MailOnline quoted Common Serjeant of London, Judge Richard Marks to have said.

    Prosecutors are not appealing the decision, the court heard.

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

    They were accused of trafficking a 21-year-old Nigerian to London to harvest his kidney for their ailing daughter.

     

    Details shortly…

  • We are solidly behind Ekweremadu – Ohanaeze elders

    We are solidly behind Ekweremadu – Ohanaeze elders

    The Chairman, Council of Elders of  Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has said the council remains solidly behind former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, detained in the United Kingdom.

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Igbo people.

    Iwuanyanwu said this in a release which he signed and made available to newsmen in Owerri, on Thursday.

    Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, are facing trial in a Westminster Court, in the United Kingdom for allegedly coercing a minor, identified as David Ukpo, to have his kidney harvested and transferred to the Senator’s daughter, Sonia.

    Iwuanyanwu, an elder statesman said the Ohanaeze Elders Council was determined to defend any honest and patriotic citizen whose right and freedom is being unduly trampled upon anywhere in the world.

    He described Ekweremadu as a very active member of the Organisation, adding that the news about his arrest and that of his wife in far away London was received with shock.

    He urged the Westminster authorities to strive for justice while expressing delight that  the true story about the predicament of the embattled former Deputy Senate President and his wife had began to emerge.

    “We do not have any doubt whatsoever that the truth will soon emerge and our son and his wife will be vindicated.

    “We wish to express our solidarity to a  dear colleague and friend during this trying period,” he said.

    He, however, prayed God to grant divine healing to the ailing daughter of Ekweremadu, Sonia.

  • 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…