Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written a letter of appeal to the Central Criminal Court of England, AKA Old Bailey, for the convicted Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice.
Obasanjo begged Old Bailey to temper justice with mercy in the May 5 sentencing of the couple which came after a six-week trial in March.
On March 23, Ekweremadu, 60; his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation.
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However, the lawmaker’s daughter, Sonia, was cleared by the court.
The judge ruled that Ekweremadu, his wife, and their doctor criminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney.
The couple and their doctor were hence convicted of organ trafficking in a ruling said to be a first of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.
Meanwhile, in a letter dated April 3, 2023, and addressed to the Chief Clerk of the court, Obasanjo advocated for leniency for the lawmaker and his wife.
According to a source (name withheld) Obasanjo having acknowledged the implications of the couple’s action, expressed his “fervent desire” for the court official to intervene.
He appealed to the court and as well as the government of the United Kingdom to be “magnanimous enough to temper justice with mercy.”
The letter partly read:
“It is with great pleasure that I write in respect of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who I have known for over two decades. Within this period, I have followed and watched, with keen interest, Ike Ekweremadu’s inspiring career which traversed private legal practice and public administration.
“I do hope Mr. and Mrs. Ekweremadu have learnt from this distressing experience of theirs to guide their future actions or inactions so they will continue to be outstanding members of their community and will continue to contribute fully to the good of the society in particular and the nation in general.
“I do realise the implications of their action and I dare say, it is unpleasant and condemnable and can’t be tolerated in any sane or civilized society.
“It is my fervent desire for very warm relations between the United Kingdom and Federal Republic of Nigeria; for his position as one of the distinguished Senators in the Nigerian Parliament, and also for the sake of their daughter in question whose current health condition is in danger and requires urgent medical attention, you will use your good offices to intervene and appeal to the court and the government of the United Kingdom to be magnanimous enough to temper justice with mercy.”
