Senate, Reps, ECOWAS Parliament, write UK Govt. seek leniency for Ekweremadu, wife  

The Senate of the Nigerian National Assembly has joined forces with the House of Representatives and the ECOWAS Parliament in writing the British Government appealing to the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, London, for leniency in the sentencing of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice.

Senator Chukwuka Utazi at the Senate plenary on Wednesday moved a motion for the intervention of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly in the legal battle of the former Deputy Senate President in the United Kingdom.

Senator Utazi noting that Ekweremadu was a former Deputy Senate President for 12 years and former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said that the embattled senators has made tremedous contributions to the development of democracy in Nigeria, West Africa and beyond.

Utazi pointed out that Ekweremadu and his wife are first-time offenders with no previous criminal records, saying that since the matter is in the United Kingdom, a novel approach in sentencing be adopted by tempering justice with mercy, as the publicity already given to the trial is enough warning to would-be offenders in the future.

Utazi demanded that the British judicial authorities should consider the long history of good relationship between Nigeria and the British government, saying that “this is the first time the Senate is making this kind of plea to the British government to yield to a request for clemency for the Ekweremadus”.

The House of Representatives and the ECOWAS Parliament had on Tuesday written to the UK government making a case for justice with leniency.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, at the plenary disclosed in that he had written a letter to the British judicial authorities two weeks ago, demanding clemency for Ekweremadu on behalf of the Nigerian Senate.

Ekweremadu, his wife; and their doctor, Obinna Obeta, are awaiting sentencing after they were convicted for organ trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act.

They were prosecuted for six weeks for organ trafficking at the Old Bailey, and were found guilty on March 23 of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain on behalf of the daughter of Ekweremadu, Sonia, who had kidney infection.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had also written to the British government seeking clemency for Ike Ekweremadu and wife.