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See, what did we say about politicians?

After transporting an unsuspecting 21-year-old man from Lagos to the UK, a senior Nigerian politician and his wife, along with a medical “middleman”, were convicted today of planning to trade in organs.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, were convicted of conspiring to steal the poor man’s kidney for their own daughter.

The couple’s daughter was cleared of any charges, but this is the first case like this to be tried under modern slavery laws at the Old Bailey. The ‘donor’, a street trader from Lagos, was offered up to R150 000 and promised opportunities in the UK, but only realised that he would have to forfeit a kidney when they arrived at the hospital.

It is alleged that they tried to convince medical personnel at Royal Free that the man was their daughter’s cousin.

The London doctor who refused to approve a kidney transplant of an alleged victim of organ trafficking said he was worried that the man was being “financially coerced” into the donation.

While it is lawful to donate a kidney, it becomes criminal if there is a reward of money or other material advantages. According to the doctor, the man didn’t really appear to have any understanding of what it was he was signing up for.

Court records show that the couple switched their search for a donor to Turkey when the Nigerian man’s organs eventually proved to be a mismatch with their daughter’s. The man managed to flee the hospital and spent a few rough nights outside before walking into a Surrey police station.

By that time the man was understandably distressed and crying as he recounted his story. According to the BBC, the Ekweremadus, who own two properties in London, have denied the charges. Sentencing will take place on 5 May.

It would appear that there are only victims in this story, and we genuinely have to feel for both the young man from Lagos, as well as the couple’s daughter.

[source:bbc&guardian]