Ike Ekweremadu, a 60-year-old Nigerian senator, was sentenced to prison for organ trafficking. A potential kidney donor named David Nwamini has stated that he wishes to stay and work in the UK since “they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria.”
When Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, 56, and the doctor-middleman, Obinna Obeta, 51, were sentenced to prison terms of 10 years and 8 months, 4 years and 6 months, and 10 years, respectively, his impact statement was read in court.
At the Old Bailey, the three were found guilty of arranging to set up a young man’s travel in order to use him for a body part.
Sonia, the 25-year-old daughter of the Ekweremadus, suffers from a serious renal condition. The donor was found and brought to the UK just for her.
David claims he was offered the chance to work in the UK, something he had always desired but never imagined would come to pass.
“He (Dr Obina Obeta) did not tell me he brought me here for this reason. He did not tell me anything about this.
“I would have not agreed to any of this. My body is not for sale.
“I worry for my safety in Nigeria. Those people can do anything. I think they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria.
“My plan now is to work and to get an education and to play football,” David said, adding that he does not want to claim compensation from the “bad people” as it would be “cursed and bad luck”.
He added that someone had gone to his father’s house in Nigeria and requested the man to get the lawsuit dismissed.
While it is legal to donate a kidney, doing so for a reward is against the law.
On June 21 of last year, while the Ekweremadus were arriving at Heathrow Airport, they were detained.
