The Former President of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo has written a letter to the Chief Clerk of the Central Criminal Court in London, requesting that the UK government show mercy towards former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, who were found guilty of organ trafficking.
Obasanjo expressed his belief that the couple have learned from their experience and should be given a second chance. The Ekweremadus are currently in custody and face a possible 10-year prison sentence under the Modern Slavery Act. Their sentencing is scheduled for May 5.
The letter partly reads, “Mr. Chief Clerk, I am very much aware of the current travails and conviction of Ike Ekweremadu and his wife in the United Kingdom resulting from their being charged with conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year-old from Nigeria to the UK in order to harvest organs for their daughter.
“I do realise the implications of their action and I dare say, it is unpleasant and condemnable and can’t be tolerated in any sane or civilised society.
“However, it is my fervent desire for very warm relations between the United Kingdom and Federal Republic of Nigeria; for his position as one of the distinguished Senators in the Nigerian Parliament, and also for the sake of their daughter in question whose current health condition is in danger and requires urgent medical attention, you will use your good offices to intervene and appeal to the court and the government of the United Kingdom to be magnanimous enough to temper justice with mercy and let punishment that may have to come take their good character and parental instinct and care into consideration.
“I do hope Mr. and Mrs. Ekweremadu have learnt from this distressing experience of theirs to guide
their future actions or inactions so they will continue to be outstanding members of their community and will continue to contribute fully to the good of the society in particular and the nation in general.”
