The chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has made a plea to the government of the United Kingdom (UK) to show leniency with former Nigeria Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu and his wife are currently awaiting the verdict of the court on the allegation of organ harvesting made against him.
Dabiri-Erewa in an official statement on Wednesday signed by the NIDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun joined others in pleading with the UK government to temper justice with mercy as regards Ekweremadu.
She pleaded with the court to show compassion and sympathy in the case.
“I join men and women of goodwill to plead for clemency for Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, if only even considering the psychological trauma, Sonia, the daughter, would be going through knowing that her parents are in jail because they tried to save her from a health condition she had no control over,” Dabiri-Erewa pleaded.
Dabiri-Erewa who reiterated her pleas, implored the UK government to temper justice with mercy and admitted that “mistakes have been made, and lessons learned”.
The NIDCOM boss posited that, though, there is no ignorance before the law, Ekweremadu and his wife acted under the instincts of their parents to save an ailing daughter, and not for commercial purposes.
After a six-week organ trafficking trial at the Old Bailey, Ekweremadu, his wife, Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu and their doctor, Obinna Obeta were on March 23rd, 2023 convicted.
They were all found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain on behalf of Ekweremadu’s sick daughter, Sonia, with a view to his exploitation.
Friday, May 5th has been fixed as the date for their sentencing.
