‘Ill’ woman, 25, facing trial alongside Nigerian politician dad & mum for ‘trafficking man to UK to harvest his kidney’
A WOMAN is facing trial alongside her Nigerian politician dad and mum charged with plotting to harvest a man's organs for herself.
Sonia Ekweremadu, 25, Ike Ekweremadu, 60, and Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, allegedly trafficked the 21-year-old from Lagos.
They are accused of wanting to harvest his organs for Sonia, who suffers from kidney failure and requires dialysis.
The trio appeared at the Old Bailey today alongside a fourth defendant, Obina Obeta, 50.
They are charged with conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1977 between August 1, 2021, and May 5.
No pleas have been entered but a provisional trial date has been set for January 31.
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The young man was unaware he had been brought to London to donate a kidney in February this year, it is said.
He was taken to the Royal Free Hospital where tests were carried out.
The man allegedly refused to let medics take the organ and was instead returned to the house he was staying at.
It is alleged he was then "treated effectively as a slave" before he managed to escape the property.
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The court was told he was homeless for three days before he turned up at Staines Police Station claiming he was trafficked to the UK.
He is now being cared for by safeguarding authorities and the Metropolitan Police.
Ike Ekweremadu - a former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate - and his wife were arrested at Heathrow Airport after flying in from Turkey.
Sonia and her mother are on bail, while Ike and Obeta have been remanded in custody.
Family member Isaac Ekweremadu also appears on the indictment but is outside jurisdiction.
A hearing has been set for December 16.
