The landmark sentencing of former Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife, Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, who were all found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man who can not be named for legal reasons, to the UK – with a view to harvest his organ was the first of its kind in the UK.

After their conviction last week, Ekweremadu’s barrister, Anu Mohindru, KC, made efforts for Beatrice to remain on conditional bail till the provisional day of sentencing on Friday, May 5, 2023, but the Crown’s Hugh Davies, KC, who had raised the “bail” matter swiftly blocked the defence application.

Mohindru argued that the court should consider the plight of the couple’s daughter, Sonia, who is said to sometimes “black out” and needs support to attend her thrice weekly dialysis sessions at the Royal Free Hospital, Davies convinced the judge that the Ekweremadus have the means to enable the Senator’s wife jet out of the United Kingdom, including by using “forged identification documents.”

The prosecutor referenced the forged affidavit that was tabled during the trial to make his case. Hugh Davies was of the view that, if they could produce false documents to claim that Sonia (Ekeremadu’s daughter) and the victim were maternal cousins, then Beatrice Ekweremadu could also conjure false documents to make her way out of the UK.

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Despite Anu Mohindru arguing to the contrary, noting that the false documents were fabricated in Nigeria and not in the UK, the judge, however, did not agree.