A UK court on Friday, sentenced a former Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu to 10 years imprisonment following his conviction for organ trafficking in March.
Premium Politics reported that Ekweremadu was convicted alongside his wife, Beatrice, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, and were sentenced under the Modern Slavery Act.
The presiding judge, Justice Johnson highlighted Ike Ekweremadu’s “substantial fall from grace” in a televised sentencing on Friday, jailing him for nine years and eight months.
His wife, Beatrice, was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment, while the medical doctor, Obeta, was also sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
The senior judge said: “People-trafficking across international borders for the harvesting of human organs is a form of slavery.
“It treats human beings and their body parts as commodities to be bought and sold.
“It is a trade that preys on poverty, misery and desperation.”
He told the defendants: “You each played a part in that despicable trade.”
Also, on the question of harm to the victim if the intended transplant went ahead, he said: “He would have faced spending the rest of his life with only one kidney and without the requisite funding for the required aftercare.”
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said during the hearing that he was only made aware of the plans when he was escorted to the north London hospital for an initial assessment.
In a statement read to court: “I would never (have) agreed to any of this.
“My body is not for sale.”
He spoke of his fears for his own safety and that of his family in Nigeria who had been visited and told to “drop” the case.
He said: “I cannot think about going home to Nigeria.
“These people are extremely powerful and I worry for my family.
“Even though I live here in the UK at the moment I know I need to be careful too.
“I have no-one here, no family, no friends.”
The trio of Ekweremadu, Beatrice and Obeta were convicted of conspiracy to arrange the travel of a young Nigerian man who was identified as David Nwamini to Britain in order to exploit him for his kidney.
The organ was needed for Ekweremadu’s sick daughter, Sonia.
Their trial lasted for six weeks and conviction at the Old Bailey, London’s Central Criminal Court.