Nigerian family accused in court of failing to ‘step up’ for organ donation

It is alleged a 21-year-old street trader from Lagos was to be rewarded for donating a kidney to Sonia Ekweremadu in an £80,000 private procedure.

Sonia Ekweremadu, 25, with her alleged prospective donor (Met Police/PA)

A senior Nigerian politician failed to seek a family member to “step up” and donate a kidney to his sick daughter as it was “far better to buy one”, it has been claimed in court.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, daughter Sonia, 25, and medical “middleman” Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, are on trial at the Old Bailey over an alleged plot to bring a young man to Britain for his body part.

It is alleged the 21-year-old street trader from Lagos was to be rewarded for donating a kidney to Sonia Ekweremadu in an £80,000 private procedure at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

When he was rejected as unsuitable, it is alleged the Ekweremadus transferred their interest to Turkey and set about finding another donor.

Under cross-examination, Senator Ekweremadu was asked why he did not try to find a suitable match among his family members.

The politician said he believed it was not an option after being relayed a conversation between his medical brother Diwe and Dr Obeta in September 2021.

He would have had basic knowledge. I’m not a doctor so if he says so, I believe him

Ike Ekweremadu

Prosecutor Hugh Davies KC said: “On the question of whether a family member could in principle act as a donor, you decided that was not possible based on a reported conversation between your non-nephrologist brother and Dr Obeta, a non-nephrologist?”

The defendant said: “He would have had basic knowledge. I’m not a doctor so if he says so, I believe him.”

But Mr Davies said: “All you had to do, rather than rely on a second-hand account from non-nephrologists, was to ask one of the specialists you were consulting whether a family member could donate a kidney.”

Senator Ekweremadu suggested he had “limited intelligence”.

The prosecutor rejected the claim, saying: “It is incredible. You do not lack intelligence.

“The fact is you did not even try to ask Sonia’s cousins, for example, to consider acting as a donor.

“What you are saying is you had no intention of anyone in your family – immediate or extended – stepping up to donate a kidney to Sonia.

“Far better to buy one and let the medical risk go to someone you don’t know.”

Senator Ekweremadu said it was “not true” that he agreed through agents to recruit a donor to give a kidney to his daughter for a reward.

Mr Davies said: “The pattern of communication reflects none of the type of human communication and contact you would expect if you and your family had believed that (the proposed donor) was a good Samaritan.”

Senator Ekweremadu repeated: “Not true.”

Mr Davies asserted: “The transplant with (the donor) not having gone ahead you and your family then immediately sought to recruit further donors for reward, transferring jurisdiction out of the UK to Turkey.

“That failed too because even that donor had not been trained properly to give the false answers when interviewed.”

The defendant replied: “These are not the facts.”

Mr Davies said: “You did not move away from the Royal Free clinical team because they lacked expertise.

“When another donor was required you immediately sought to transfer the clinical process to Turkey.”

Mr Davies queried why the Ekweremadus had been prepared to leave an “internationally recognised centre of excellence” in London for an unknown quantity in Turkey.

Ekweremadu suggested treatment in Turkey was “cheaper”.

Mr Davies responded: “You were looking to cut corners on your daughter’s clinical outcome to save money? You were a wealthy man, senator.”

The defendant who owns dozens of properties in Nigeria and Dubai and sent his children to be privately educated, denied being a wealthy man.

What other issue had anything like the level of importance over your daughter’s potentially life limiting, life ending condition?

Prosecutor Hugh Davies KC

But Mr Davies said: “That’s not true. Think of the number of properties you own.”

He went on to suggest that Beatrice Ekweremadu, who has a doctorate, maintained an informed interest in what was going on “from beginning to end”.

The prosecutor said: “How would Sonia’s treatment not be the dominant discussion in the family? What was more important?”

Senator Ekweremadu replied: “I have other responsibilities to my family and other people.”

Mr Davies said: “What other issue had anything like the level of importance over your daughter’s potentially life limiting, life ending condition?”

The Ekweremadus, who have an address in Willesden Green, north-west London, and Dr Obeta, from Southwark, south London, deny the charge against them and the Old Bailey trial continues.