Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has written to the Chief Clerk of the Central Criminal Court in London to temper justice with mercy over the conviction of former Nigerian Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu, his wife, and a doctor were found guilty of aiding the travel of a young man to the UK, with the intention of exploiting him.
The six-week trial at the Old Bailey concluded with the trio’s conviction, prompting Obasanjo to issue a statement appealing for clemency in their sentencing.
Ekweremadu, who served as Deputy Senate President for 12 years, was convicted alongside his wife, Beatrice, and a doctor, Dr Obinna Obeta.
The trio were found to have played a role in facilitating a young man’s travel to the UK, aiming to exploit him for organ trafficking.
Obasanjo, in a letter dated April 3, 2023 and addressed to the Chief Clerk of the court titled “Re: Ike Ekweremadu,” said even though Ekweremadu’s action was condemnable and unacceptable, he has contributed his quota to the socio-political development of Nigeria, adding that his punishment should consider his past records of good deeds and the plight of his ailing daughter.
Obasanjo’s letter reads in part: “Mr. Chief Clerk, I am very much aware of the current travails and conviction of Ike Ekweremadu and his wife in the United Kingdom resulting from their being charged with conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year old from Nigeria to the UK in order to harvest organs for their daughter. I do realise the implications of their action and I dare say, it is unpleasant and condemnable and can’t be tolerated in any sane or civilized society.
“However, it is my fervent desire for the very warm relations between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Nigeria; for his position as one of the distinguished Senators in the Nigerian Parliament, and also for the sake of their daughter in question whose current health condition is in danger and requires an urgent medical attention, you will use your good offices to intervene and appeal to the court and the government of the United Kingdom to be magnanimous enough to temper justice with mercy and let punishment that may have to come take their good character and parental instinct and care into consideration.
“I do hope Mr. and Mrs. Ekweremadu have learnt from this distressing experience of theirs to guide their future actions or inactions so they will continue to be outstanding members of their community and will continue to contribute fully to the good of the society in particular and the nation in general.” he noted.
Recall that Ekweremadu and his wife, alongside Nigerian doctor Obinna Obeta, were recently found guilty of attempted organ harvesting of a Nigerian trafficked to Britain to provide a kidney for their ailing daughter.
Read the full letter below…
