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Organ harvesting: Victim testifies as Ekweremadus’ trial continues

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The trial of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, continued on Monday at the Old Bailey court in Central England, the United Kingdom.

Ekweremadu is standing trial for allegedly plotting to harvest the kidney of a 22-year-old street trader. Also being tried alongside the Nigerian lawmaker are his wife – Beatrice, 25-year-old daughter Sonia, and a doctor, Obinna Obeta.

They are accused of conspiring to exploit the man for his organ.

The four accused persons had on February 6 appeared in London’s famous Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, for the start of the trial, after previously pleading not guilty. They face life imprisonment if convicted.

In Britain, it is legal to donate a kidney, but not for reward. Prosecutors say regardless of whether the Lagos street trader gave his consent, a crime was committed by the wealthy Nigerians.

At the continuation of the trial on Monday, Channels Television’s correspondent, Juliana Olayinka who witnessed the proceedings said the victim told the court the version of his story.

READ  Alleged organ harvesting: Ike Ekweremadu to remain in jail, as UK court grants wife bail

The court’s gallery was filled with people who were eager to monitor the events in the temple of justice.

Speaking through an interpreter, the victim said he arrived in the UK on February 20, 2022, to provide his kidney to Sonia Ekweremadu.

“For the first time ever, we have been hearing from a key witness which is a 22-year-old alleged victim who has been giving his own testimony via a video link. He has been speaking through an interpreter,” Olayinka said.

“Today marks the actual day, this time last year, that he arrived in London. We know what happened after that arrival if you have been following this case extensively.

“He, of course, was to come to the United Kingdom to provide his kidney for Sonia Ekweremadu who suffers from a severe significant kidney disease.”

Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice were arrested by the British police on June 23 last year on allegations of human trafficking and organ harvesting that violate the country’s Modern Slavery Act.

READ  Organ transplant: Ekweremadu’s daughter deserves free kidney donation– Okowa’s aide

The Ekweremadus and the doctor are accused of conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, under UK legislation on modern slavery.

Prosecutors said the defendants allegedly planned to have a kidney removed from the man so that it could be given to Sonia.

 

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Police interrogates Mohbad’s PA, Darosha over singer’s death

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Boluwatife Adeyemo, also known as Darosha, who was the Personal Assistant to the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad, has been interrogated by the Nigeria Police Force.

According to reports, Darosha visited the Zone 2 Command headquarters on Thursday following a police invitation.

Also present at the meeting were Mohbad’s mother, Abosede and his father, Joseph.

 

The lawyer of Aloba’s family, Monisola Odumosu, who disclosed this on Saturday, said Darosha was invited to name those who instructed him to embalm the late singer in his home when he died on September 12, 2023.

Odumosu said, “The police invited Darosha and interrogated him based on a petition written and signed by Emmanuel Oroko of the Hillceetee Partners on the instruction of Mohbad’s father.

 

“He had visited alone earlier in the week, but was asked to return on Thursday when Mohbad’s father and mother would be present, which he did.”

Odumosu disclosed further that a statement was taken from Darosha in which he mentioned those who were present when the deceased was embalmed.

READ  FG hires lawyers for Ekweremadu, wife

The lawyer added that the police had invited those mentioned in the statement.

“Those present at the residence of the late Ilerioluwa Aloba when the embalmment was done will appear before the investigation panel of the police.

“The local embalmment violates the Coroner’s System Law 2007: Section 48 of this law addresses the offences and penalties of tampering with a dead body contrary to Section 16.

“The police, upon interrogating Darosha, have asked all those mentioned in his statement to be brought in for further interrogation. When Mohbad died, there were allegations that he was given local embalming without authorisation from his father or a death certificate from any medical practitioner who could certify the cause of the death of the late singer,” he added.

 

Mohbad’s father had alleged that his son’s body was already embalmed and placed by the staircase when he arrived at the deceased’s home the day he died.

READ  Gunmen kill DPO, 6 others in Niger

He made this known while calling on the police to intensify the investigation to unravel the cause of his son’s death.

Mohbad died on September 12 at the age of 27, with the circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

Mohbad, a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, left the label in February 2022.

The Lagos State Police Command inaugurated on September 18, 2023, a 13-man special investigation team to probe the death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, amongst others.

The body of Mohbad was exhumed on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, tweeted in September 2023 that an autopsy had been concluded and the police were “awaiting results.”

The toxicology test carried out to determine the cause of death of the late music star had been concluded.

READ  How my family survived: Nigerian survivor of Turkey earthquake tells story of divine escape

The result had been sent to the pathologist who carried out the autopsy to analyse and interpret it.

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Journalist hit by ‘stray bullet’ at Kano government house

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A journalist with Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), Naziru Idris Yau, has been hit by a stray bullet inside the government house in Kano state.

It was gathered that the incident occurred around 6:30pm on Friday.

The journalist was said to have been immediately rushed to the government house clinic for treatment.

 

The medical personnel at the clinic said the journalist was lucky because the bullet was not shot at close range.

 

The journalist was subsequently discharged after the site of injury was treated.

The origin of the stray bullet is yet to be ascertained but police officers attached to the government house have commenced an investigation into the matter.

The Kano state government is yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.

 

The incident, which happened on the 2024 World Press Freedom Day, brings to the fore the threats journalists face in Nigeria.

 

Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), is currently being detained by the police over an allegation bordering on “cybercrime”.

READ  Ekweremadu, wife risk 10-year jail in UK

 

Ojukwu has been in police custody since May 1.

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Ex-FCMB manager bags 121-year jail term for stealing customer’s N112m

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A former manager with a branch of First City Monument Bank, FCMB in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nwachukwu Placidus, has been sentenced to a cumulative 121 years imprisonment for stealing N112 million belonging to a customer.

 

Placidus was arrested following a petition by Idemili Microfinance Bank LTD to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

 

The management of the Microfinance back said the sum of N112 million was handed over to him as the branch manager of FCMB in Onitsha, for fixed deposit.

However, the petitioner said when the FCMB was approached to terminate and withdraw the deposit, the bank denied receiving the said funds.

 

“Upon receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action and investigations revealed that the convict diverted the money for his own use and issued a fake fixed Deposit Certificate to the petitioner,” Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the EFCC said in a statement.

Consequently, Placidus was arraigned on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 on 16-count charges bordering on forgery, stealing, obtaining by false pretence and uttering, by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

READ  Organ harvesting: Ekweremadu, wife to appear in court today

 

One of the counts reads: “Nwachukwu Placidus between February 2009 and November 2014 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Anambra State High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N112,100,000) One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only, from Idemili Microfinance Bank under the false pretence that you have placed the said money in a fixed deposit account with First City Monument Bank PLC for it, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thus setting the stage for his trial.

 

In the course of trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu presented four witnesses and tendered several relevant documents which were admitted in evidence.

 

While delivering his judgment, Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt” and sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment on count 3, 4 years on count 4 and 9 years on counts 5 to 16 respectively. He was discharged on counts 1 and 2. The sentences shall run concurrently.

READ  Gunmen kill DPO, 6 others in Niger

The court further ordered the convict to restitute the said sum to his victim, Idemili Microfinance Bank.

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