Ekweremadu: Anyone could be liable under modern day slavery act –Ajulo …Urges 24-hrs surveillance on Sonia

Constitutional lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo has said anyone could be found wanting of the modern day slavery act of 2015 in the United Kingdom, a new law to which former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu fell victim, Justnews reports.

L-R, Ekweremadu, Beatrice and Obeta

A court in the United Kingdom sentenced Ekweremadu, to nine years and eight months in prison for an organ trafficking plot.

The court also sentenced his wife, Beatrice, to four years six months while the medical doctor who acted as a ‘middleman’ in the plot, Dr Obinna Obeta, was sentenced to 10 years and his medical license was also suspended.

Sonia Ekweremadu

Ajulo had after the sentencing  former Deputy Senate President and his wife,  added in his congratulatory message to the newly coronated  king of England, Charles the III, that the King should invoke the royal prerogative of mercy in favor of Ekweremadu and his wife.

Fielding questions on ARISE TV about the motive behind seeking clemency for Ekweremadu in his letter to the King Charles III, Ajulo admitted it is wrong for anyone to want to move someone from anyone for the purpose of  organ transplant, he, however said as a father he understood reason behind step taken by  Ekweremadu. He also added that anyone could fall victim of the modern day slavery act in the United Kingdom.

“The chronicles of the traverse of the Ekweremadus is quite pathetic. It’s pathetic in the sense that modern days slavery act of 2015 is a new law in United Kingdom, and going through the law, it is unfortunate to say any case that has criminal liability or criminal proceedings is always unfortunate, because any law that is around criminality is to ensure that such crime should not happen. To the society, victim and the accuse, to all, it’s unfortunate situation. Going by the critical examination, it could happen to anyone. I have seen people saying it serves Ekweremadu right, that he’s one of Nigeria politicians who have sucked us dry and that he must pay for it, not knowing that anyone, including Kayode Ajulo who sitting here can be found wanting of that law. An example is this. Many Nigerians do send their mothers or mother in-laws to UK to take care of their new born babies. They can be found foul of that law because the major issue here is, transporting anybody for exploitation could make anyone to be found wanting of that law.”

Continuing, “Yes, it is wrong to move anyone from anywhere for organ harvesting because we are expected to know better. However, looking at the reason behind that step, I am father, I have young sons and daughters and I know what it takes to keep them on their feet. So I think what has happened calls for sober reflection and we need to call for mercy for Ekweremadu, and that’s what I have done. I have exchanged correspondence with King Charles since the death of his mother, so in the letter I wrote to congratulate him on his glorious coronation, I felt it was necessary I presented the case of one my country men, not just a country man, but a PhD holder in law, a colleague, who is languishing in the prison in the UK, that King Charles to invoke the royal prerogative of mercy for senator Ekweremadu and wife.

Sonia Ekweremadu who is at the center of the whole saga, granted an interview to the BBC where she said she felt bad being the cause of the ordeal of his parents.

Ajulo said he found the interview depressing and disturbing. He went ahead to urge the British authority to ensure there is 24 hours surveillance on Sonia.

“I am quite an emotional person. When i listened to her interview yesterday, I could not get to the end of it. I had to stop it because its depressing. As a father, I find the interview depressing. She’s having a kidney problem, a life threatening matter, and she’s also facing the issue of her parents, the father and the mother. Infact, I want to urge the British authority to have a round clock surveillance on the lady. I don’t know how some others see the situation, but for me, it’s quite excruciating, depressing and disturbing.” He said.