Foreign

Kenya Cult Deaths: Autopsies Rule Out Organ Harvesting

By Web News 1426

Autopsies on at least 112 bodies of cult victims exhumed from shallow graves in Kenya’s coastal Kilifi County have ruled out organ harvesting.

Government pathologists said some of the victims died of starvation, strangulation and suffocation.

Kenyan police are expected to dig up more graves in search of victims of the cult whose leader, Pastor Paul Mackenzie, allegedly encouraged them to fast to death in order to go to heaven.

Mr Mackenzie is in police custody pending investigations.

The Kenyan Red Cross said that 360 people had been reported missing, while the authorities say at least 60 others have been rescued alive.

President William Ruto has formed a commission of inquiry to investigate the deaths of the followers of the Christian cult.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Crime

UK Court Convicts Ekweremadu, wife of Organ Trafficking

By Web News 377

Former Nigerian Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, daughter and a doctor have been convicted of organ trafficking, in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act. 

According to a UK medium, The 60-year-old politician, his wife, Beatrice, 56, daughter Sonia 25, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey. 

They criminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney, the jury found.

The judge, Justice Jeremy Johnson, will pass a sentence at a later date, UK medium reports.

Vanguard/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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Judiciary

UK Court Ruling Clears Ekweremadu over Case of Minor

By Web News 490

The Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in the United Kingdom has ruled that the kidney donor in Ekweremadu’s case, David Ukpo is not a minor.

Both Ekweremadu and his wife appeared in court today and they pleaded not guilty to the charge of organ harvesting while the case has been transferred to the Central Criminal Court. Prosecutors were said to have told the court on Thursday that all the available evidence provided showed that the said donor is actually 21 years old and not 15 years old as widely reported.

With this ruling, respite is underway for Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, despite the fact that they will be remanded in custody until the next hearing, August 4, 2022.

The focal point of the Ekweremadus legal predicament is majorly around Ukpo’s age debate – the allegation that they brought a 15-year-old child (a minor) to the UK to harvest his organs.

With the controversies surrounding Ukpo’s age addressed by the fresh ruling, the coast is a bit clear, and supporters of the former Deputy Senate President who have been in the background will now be more encouraged to show open solidarity.

Meanwhile, some members of the Senate and delegates from the Nigeria High Commission were present at the hearing in the UK today.

Those who attended include Former National Publicity Secretary for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisah Metuh; former Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnanya Abaribe, former Senate President, David Mark and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

Vanguard/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Crime

Organ Harvesting: FG Engages Lawyers to Defend Ekweremadu

By Web News 534

The Federal Government through the Nigerian High Commission to the United Kingdom has hired lawyers to defend a former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, over allegations of organ harvesting.

The Senate President Ahmad Lawan who disclosed this after a closed-door session of the chamber on Wednesday, added that a delegation of the Chamber would on or before Friday this week visit Ekweremadu and his wife in London.

Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice were last week arrested and arraigned at Oxbridge Magistrates Court in London.

The Court ruled that the former Deputy Senate President and his wife be remanded in custody till July 7, 2022, which is the next adjournment date.

The fact-finding-visit according to Lawan would be undertaken by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa.

He said that the lawmakers were briefed about Ekweremadu’s travail during the closed session and also apprised of the role the Nigerian High Commissioner to United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafadeen Ishola, has been playing to ensure that Ekweremadu gets all needed assistance

He commended the High Commissioner and his team for the work they are doing in providing needed consular support for Ekweremadu.

“The High Commission has been providing all Consular Services including the engagement of lawyers to defend Ekweremadu,” Lawan said.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been engaged and is currently providing diplomatic support to Ekweremadu.

He assured Ekweremadu’s family that the Senate would work to get all needed support for Ekweremadu and his wife to overcome the present challenge.

He said: “Because the issue is already in court, there a limit to which we can say on the matter. We assure the family we will continue to do our best to support him.”

The Nation/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Foreign

Organ Harvesting: Ex-Deputy Senate President, Wife, Arrested in London

By Web News 757

A former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate and his wife have been charged with conspiring to transport a boy to the UK in order to harvest organs.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, and his wife Beatrice Ekweremadu, 55, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in west London on Thursday.

The Metropolitan Police of the United Kingdom said the 15-year-old alleged victim has been taken into care and that agencies were working to support him.

The defendants are accused of conspiracy to arrange and/or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

UK Prosecutor, Damla Ayas told the court: “In respect of these offences the Attorney General’s consent is required and the Crown require 14 days for that to be obtained.”

Ms Ayas told the court that most of the alleged offences took place in the UK.

The Ekweremadus, who were arrested two days ago, have been remanded in custody to appear at the same court on 7 July.

A University of Lincoln spokesman, where Senator Ekweremadu was recently made a visiting professor said: “We are deeply concerned about the nature of these allegations but as this is an active police investigation, we cannot comment further at this stage.”

An investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Team took place after detectives were alerted to potential modern-day slavery offences.

Organ-harvesting involves removing parts of the body, often for commercial gain and against the will of the victim.

BBC/Maxwell Oyekunle