THE Central Criminal Court in the United Kingdom (UK) has adjourned the alleged organ harvesting case involving former deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice, till October 31.
Ekweremadu and a Nigerian doctor Obinna Obeta, from Southwark, South London, are charged with conspiring to arrange or facilitate the travel of a man with a view to him being exploited.
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Beatrice and Obeta on the other hand, are charged with arranging the travel of the man with a view to him being exploited.
The police had alleged that the reported victim at the centre of the organ harvesting allegation David Ukpo, is a 15-year-old but the court ruled that he is 21 years.
During a continuation of hearing on Thursday, Beatrice, who is on bail, appeared in court while Ekweremadu and Obeta joined virtually from Wandsworth and Belmarsh prisons.
Ekweremadu was represented by a new lawyer.
The defendants were not asked to enter pleas during the hearing and spoke only to confirm their identities.
Judge Richard Marks QC said the case would be heard by a High Court Judge on May 2, 2023, but pretrial applications would take place on October 31.
The former deputy senate president and his wife were arrested by London Metropolitan Police in June.
While Beatrice was granted bail on July 22 with strict conditions, the court has rejected applications to grant her husband bail.