SONIA, the daughter of former Nigerian Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, arrested and charged to court in the United Kingdom (UK) over allegations of conspiracy to traffic a homeless man into the country for the purpose of harvesting his organ, has denied the accusation.
The 25-year-old, alongside her father Ike and mother Beatrice, were charged with conspiring to harvest the kidney of 21-year-old David Ukpo, who was brought from Nigeria to a London hospital.
Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested in the UK on June 21, 2022, after flying to Heathrow Airport in London from Turkey.
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An investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.
British prosecutors alleged that they conspired with others, including a Nigerian-based family member identified as Isaac Ekweremadu and a medical doctor Obinna Obeta, residing in Southwark, South London, to arrange the travel of Ukpo with a view of removing one of his kidneys for Sonia, who is suffering from a kidney-related disease.
Ike and Obeta are in custody in HMP Wandsworth and HMP Belmarsh respectively.
Ekweremadu was denied bail after the court maintained that the Nigerian lawmaker remained a flight risk. Beatrice and Sonia are both on bail.
The trial before Justice Adam Johnson of the Central Criminal Court in Old Bailey London will begin on January 31.