LONDON (Bywire News) - Nigerian Senator, Ike Ekweremadu (60) and his wife Beatrice Nwanneka (55) has been remanded in custody in London and charged with plotting to bring a 15-year-old boy into the UK with the intention of harvesting his organs.
The couple was charged with conspiracy to arrange travel of another individual with a view to exploitation, in this instance, organ harvesting the police said.
As a former deputy senate president, Ekweremadu is also the opposition senator in the southern state of Enugu.
Following reports made of offences under the modern slavery legislation, the police said that they had been alerted to the alleged plan. The child has been taken to safety and additional support has been provided.
Appearing in Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in London, the BBC reports that the child involved was indeed a 15-year-old boy.
The couple has been remanded in police custody until July 7th. However, the prosecution says the Attorney General’s consent is needed for the case to continue due to jurisdictional issues.
(Writing by Samba Jallow, editing by Tom Cropper and Klaudia Fior)