Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has been granted bail after one month in custody.
Ekweremadu and his wife, who are now on trial for claims of organ harvesting, appeared in London’s Central Criminal Court on Friday, July 22, 2022.
How it all began: In June, the MP and his wife were accused of smuggling a 21-year-old into the UK in order to harvest his kidney for their sick daughter.
In his decision on Friday, Judge Richard Marks granted bail to Ekweremadu’s wife.
The position is that I have granted bail to Beatrice subject to some fairly stringent conditions but I have refused bail to Ike,” the judge was quoted to have said.
In a report released on Monday, July 25, 2022, Foundry Chambers, a law firm identified as representatives for the Ekweremadus stated,“Anu Mohindru Q.C., together with Szilvia Booker, at a hearing on 22/07/22 before the Common Sergeant at the Central Criminal Court secured bail for Beatrice Ekweremadu, the wife of the former Nigerian Deputy Senate leader, Ike Ekweremadu, who is charged together with her husband and Obina Obeta, said to be a middleman in relation to these arrangements with offences of arranging or facilitating the travel of David Nwamini Ukpo with a view to him being exploited, contrary to s.2(1) and 5(1) Modern Slavery Act 2015 and conspiracy to commit such an offence.”
“The essence of the allegation against the defendants is that (using intermediaries) they recruited David Ukpo, a homeless Nigerian male living in Lagos and, on 22nd February 2022, brought him to the UK for the purposes of harvesting a kidney from him to be used for the benefit of their daughter.
“An application for bail on Friday was refused for Ike Ekweremadu but granted for Beatrice on strict conditions to ensure her attendance and obviate any concerns of her being a flight risk ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing scheduled to take place on 4th August 2022 and a subsequent trial next year.”