…as UK Attorney-General decides on whether couple can be tried in UK or Nigeria
. Uxbridge court re-arraigns ex-deputy Senate president, hands over case to Westminster Magistrates’ Court
The Uxbridge Magistrates’Court has begun moves to transfer the trial of the Nigerian former deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice to Nigeria.
On Thursday, the court transferred the couple’s case to the Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
The court’s action, it was learnt, is to allow the Attorney-General of the UK, Suella Braverman, to determine whether the Ekweremadus’ case can be tried in Nigeria or the UK.
A delegation from the Nigeria High Commission in the UK and two of Ekweremadu’s children were present in the court on Thursday.
Ekweremadu and his wife’s ordeal began when they attempted to get a kidney donor for their ailing daughter.
Prosecutors during Thursday’s court proceedings insisted that the alleged kidney donor, Ukpo David, is 15 years old.
But the Nigeria Immigration Service had said that the birth certificate and National Identity Number slip presented by Ukpo during passport registration indicated that he’s 21 years old.
NIS Public Relations Officer, Amos Okpu stated this in a statement on Sunday.
The UK prosecutor, however, told the court on Thursday that a criminal gang allegedly picked up Okpu off the street in Lagos with the intention of harvesting his organ in the UK.
It was gathered that during Thursday’s proceedings, Ekweremadu was in the dock where he confirmed his name and date of birth.
But the prosecutor had reportedly insisted that Okpu, the “donor” is a 15-year-old boy.
Based on this claim, the prosecutor was said to have argued that Ekweremadu could not be granted bail because he posed a flight risk.
The court then again adjourned the matter to July 7.
On Wednesday, Senate President Ahmad Lawan had announced that the Federal Government had hired some lawyers to defend Ekweremadu and his wife, Ekweremadu.
Lawan had added that members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs will be traveling to the UK soon.
The Senate President had said, “There will be a delegation to London to see Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife. A delegation from the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Senate will leave in the next two days for London for that purpose.
“I want to urge all federal government institutions that can do anything to ensure that justice prevails in this case, that they do so.”