A 60-year-old Nigerian politician and his wife faced court on Thursday over charges of trafficking a teenager to the UK to harvest his organs for their daughter who suffers from kidney failure.
The Sun reported that Ike Ekweremadu, who is a former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate, and his wife Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu are accused of trying to traffic the youngster, who the couple found on the streets of Lagos. In order to get into the UK, the 15-year-old was allegedly given the passport of a 41-year-old. The teen arrived in the capital in February, but he had no idea he was there to donate a kidney. He got to know when he went to a hospital appointment in London, a court was told.
Police said in a statement on Thursday that the investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to "potential offences under modern slavery legislation, in May 2022."
The Ekweremadus were charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another individual with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting. During their appearance at the Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Thursday, they spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth and to tell the court clerk that they reside in Nigeria. The pair, who didn't enter any pleas to the charges, were arrested at Heathrow on Tuesday. They were boarding a flight to Turkey, and now their passports have been seized by authorities.
Prosecuting, Damla Ayas said that the case was a unique one. The majority of the alleged offending happened in the UK, but part of it is said to have taken place in Nigeria. The Attorney General will need to make a decision within two weeks on whether they could charge them in the UK for all the alleged offences, said Ayas.
The couple, who have four children, have an address in Willesden, north west London. Their children live there. The couple's lawyers said their clients should be bailed under strict conditions but their application was not accepted.
The police said that the teen has been safeguarded, and work was under way to give additional support, reported Al Jazeera.
As for the Ekweremadus, they have been remanded in custody to appear at court on July 7, according to BBC.
