Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has pleaded leniency for former Deputy Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who was found guilty of organ trafficking in the United Kingdom.
Obasanjo in a letter dated April 3, 2023 and addressed to the Chief Clerk of the Central Criminal Court in London pleaded for mercy over the conviction of the former Nigerian Deputy Senate President.
The New Diplomat had reported that Ekweremadu and his wife, alongside Nigerian doctor, Obinna Obeta, were recently found guilty of an attempted organ harvesting of a Nigerian, trafficked to Britain to provide a kidney for their ailing daughter.
They were found to have criminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney on March 23, 2023 by the jury.
Meanwhile, ahead of the sentencing of the trio, Obasanjo said the urgent need for medical attention by Sonia should make the United Kingdom temper justice with mercy.
The former President posited that 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.”
