The couple was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday, shortly before flying to Turkey. Both deny the allegations
A Nigerian politician and his wife They are accused of planning to transport a homeless 15-year-old boy to Britain to get his organs, according to an article in The Guardian.
The 60-year-old It was Ekueremantouformer Vice President of the Senate, and his 55-year-old wife, Beatrice Nuaneka Equeremandouappeared in court in west London on Thursday 23 June.
HBD to my lovely wife, my right hand woman, mother of my children, Achara Ugo, Lady Nwanneka Ekweremadu, PhD.
I thank God for bringing us together. You’ve been a great source of strength, working with me every step of the way, through thick and thin, to be whatever I am today … pic.twitter.com/qlJoNUj4oq– Ike Ekweremadu (@iamekweremadu) September 10, 2020
The couple was arrested on Tuesday at Heathrow Airport, shortly before flying to Turkey. Both deny the allegations, and police say the boy was homeless.
Beatrice Nuaneka Equeremandou, 55, and Ike Equeremandou, 60, have been charged with conspiracy to organize another man’s trip to Britain to exploit him, including removing organs. The 15-year-old boy was placed under protection and actions are being taken to provide him with additional support, according to the police.
Ekueremandou is an opposition senator and director at a law firm and has been influential in Nigeria’s political situation for several decades.
The couple was remanded in custody until their next court appearance on July 7. His wife, an accountant, also denied the allegations.
The investigation was launched by the Metropolitan Police Crime Task Force in May. The lawyer representing the politician stated that, “there is no doubt that this is a serious charge. My client is a member of the Senate in Nigeria. In the past, he held an even more senior role as Vice President of the Senate. He is a member of the Bar Association of Nigeria. He is also the head of a law firm that bears his name. The allegations are “completely absurd”».
In fact, as it became known, the politician became recently Visiting Professor at Lincoln University. A university spokesman said, “We are deeply concerned about the nature of these allegations, but as this is an ongoing police investigation, we can not comment further at this stage.».
An Interpol report last year found that organ trafficking was a major concern, especially in North and West Africa, as “poor communities and displaced people are at greater risk of exploitation.”
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