A wealthy Nigerian politician and his wife are facing jail after being found guilty of an organ harvesting plot involving a London hospital, in a UK legal first.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, and medical “middleman” Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, plotted to exploit a young Nigerian man, trafficking him from the streets of Lagos to the UK so his kidney could be removed.
The 21-year-old street trader was brought to the Royal Free Hospital in north London, but concerns were raised by a doctor when it became clear the man did not know what he had signed up for.
The Ekweremadus had plotted the £80,000 private transplant operation with Obeta, to provide their sick daughter Sonia with a kidney as she battled organ failure caused by a deteriorating medical condition.
A jury found the Ekweremadus and Obeta guilty of conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, at the end of a six-week trial.
Sonia Ekweremadu, 25, broke down in tears as she was cleared of the same charge.
Mr Justice Johnson remanded the three guilty defendants in custody until sentencing on May 5.
It is the first time defendants have been convicted under the Modern Slavery Act of an organ harvesting conspiracy.
The trial heard how the young man at the centre of the plot had been offered up to £7,000 for his organ, and told to pose as Sonia’s cousin in order to get the transplant approved.
The scheme was thwarted when a doctor realised the man had little idea of the procedure during preliminary tests, and he was “visibly relieved” when it was blocked.
When their transplant bid failed, Sonia Ekweremadu’s family, who have an address in Willesden Green, north-west London, switched to Turkey and set about finding more potential donors, it was alleged.
An investigation was launched after the young man ran away from London and slept rough for days before walking into a police station more than 20 miles away in Staines, Surrey, crying and in distress.
Ike Ekweremadu, who owns about 10 properties in Nigeria and Dubai and is a wealthy senator in his native country, had sent four of his children, including Sonia, to be privately educated in the UK.
Sonia was studying for a masters degree at Newcastle University when she became ill in December 2019.
In the hunt for a donor, her uncle Diwe turned to a former classmate Dr Obeta, of Southwark, south London, who recently had a private kidney transplant at the Royal Free with a Nigerian donor.
In a text, Diwe told his brother: “I had an extensive discussion last night with my classmate who had his transplant last month. I will brief you.”
Dr Obeta then engaged with Dr Chris Agbo, of Vintage Health Group, a medical tourism company, as well as an agent to arrange a visa for the donor, the court heard.
The donor, who knew the man who donated his kidney to Dr Obeta, was recruited from a Lagos street market where he made a few pounds a day selling phone accessories from a wheelbarrow.
He underwent tests in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, before arrangements were made to fly him to the UK last year, the court was told.
In his UK Home Office visa application, the donor was described as Sonia’s cousin and the paperwork was supported by a letter from Ike, jurors heard.
The court was shown messages in which Ike discussed with his brother the costs, including the donor fee of millions of naira (Nigerian currency), it was alleged.
Ike kept his accountant wife informed of progress by text messages, jurors heard.
One forwarded message from Diwe complaining of a “huge invoice” from “Dr Chris”, saying: “It looks like they’re all out to exploit people’s unfortunate situation.”
As the travel plans went ahead, Sonia was encouraged to establish a relationship with the donor through text messages, jurors were told.
Jurors were shown a picture of Sonia smiling with him at a meal at a restaurant in London.
Royal Free consultant, Dr Peter Dupont, concluded the donor was not an appropriate candidate after learning he had no counselling or advice about the risks of surgery and he lacked funds for the lifelong care he would need.
Undeterred, a “corrupt interpreter” was enlisted for £1,500 to help at the donor’s second hospital meeting with a surgeon, the court was told.
Both medics agreed on their assessment and in March last year Dr Dupont gave his decision but no reasons, citing patient confidentiality.
Sonia Ekweremadu’s family immediately resumed their donor search, the court was told.
After walking into Staines police station, the original donor told police that he did not understand why he had been brought to the UK until he meet Dr Dupont.
Relaying his fears, he told police: “The doctor said I was too young but the man said if you do not do it here he would carry me back to Nigeria and do it there.”
“I was sleeping three days outside around, looking for someone to help me, save my life.”
In their trial, the defendants claimed they believed the donor was acting “altruistically”.
IkeEkweremadu told jurors he had trusted the medical experts but suspected he was being “scammed”.
On how he treated the donor, prosecutor Hugh Davies KC asked: “From beginning to end it demonstrates all he was to you was a body part for sale? Because he was going to get work and he would be paid the 3.5 million naira, you felt you owed him nothing?”
The politician replied: “Never. It was a big scam.”
Beatrice Ekweremadu, who worked in the Nigerian auditor general’s office and has a PhD in accountancy, said her husband took care of the household finances and she was not involved in the donor search.
They were asked why they did not look for a member of their own family to “step up” and donate a kidney to their daughter.
Mr Davies asserted that for them it was “far better to buy one and let the medical risk go to someone you don’t know”.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to a conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation between August 1 2021 and May 5 2022.
