Alleged organ harvesting: ‘I wasn’t involved in search for kidney donor,’ Ekweremadu’s wife tells UK court

Beatrice Ekweremadu, the wife of former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, has denied involvement in the search for a kidney donor for their ailing daughter, Sonia.

Beatrice, in 2022, was arrested alongside her husband in the United Kingdom (UK) for trafficking a 21-year-old identified as David Ukpo into the country to harvest his kidney.

However, Beatrice, on Monday, March 13, denied the allegation at the Old Bailey in London where she is standing trial alongside her husband, daughter and one medical doctor, Obinna Obeta.

It was claimed that Ukpo was falsely presented as Sonia’s cousin in a failed bid to persuade doctors to carry out an £80,000 private procedure at the Royal Free Hospital.

Beatrice, while speaking on the family’s finances, told the court that her husband took care of the house, just as she pointed out that she only carried out domestic duties which included visiting their children in schools within the UK.

Ekweremadu’s wife noted that she got to know about Sonia’s kidney problem after  her husband told her in 2019.

Beatrice stated that Sonia was diagnosed in the UK, adding that she returned to London to see a doctor at the Cromwell Hospital and then the Royal Free.

The defence lawyer, Anu Mohindru KC, while speaking, said that, “There are text messages from your husband keeping you informed of what was happening. Is that something he would do?”

The defendant said that, “Yes. He tells me what he thinks I need to know.”

The lawyer went on to inquire if Ekweremadu relayed his discussions with his medically-trained brother, Diwe.

Beatrice told the court that she regarded Diwe Ekweremadu as the family doctor but did not ask about what they discussed.

Mohindru also asked the defendant if she was involved in identifying any kidney donors for her ailing daughter, however, Beatrice noted that she was not involved in the search for an organ donor for Sonia.

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