The House of Representatives has urged the Central Criminal Court of the United Kingdom and the British Government to “temper justice with mercy” in sentencing a former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; his wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu; and a UK-based Dr. Obinna Obeta.
The House also urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to “take all diplomatic steps and other necessary interventions regarding the travails of the Ekwermadu family”.
The House directed its Clerk, Yahaya Danzaria, to convey the resolutions to the British Government and the court.
On March 23, the Central Criminal Court found Ekweremadus alongside Obeta guilty of organ trafficking in the UK by criminally conspiring to bring a 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to harvest his kidney for Sonia Ekweremadu, who has a kidney ailment.
The call for clemency by the House was a sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, titled ‘Motion on the Need for Clemency for Senator Ike Ekweremadu.’
Okechukwu, who noted that the sentencing of the couple was scheduled for May 5, said, “Senator Ike Ekweremadu acted within his limited knowledge of the UK laws and did write to the UK High Commission to support the medical visa application for the potential donor and did declare the purpose of the trip.
“Senator Ekweremadu and Mrs Beatrice acted under the natural instincts of parents to save an ailing daughter, and not for commercial purposes.
“It is a common practice in International Relations for nations, including the UK, to seek relief for their citizens involved in situations such as that of the Ekweremadu. The House is also aware of the longstanding history and cordial ties between Nigeria and the UK,” he said.
