Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has been released from a United Kingdom prison and is now back in the country.
A former aide to Mr. Ekweremadu, who confirmed the development on Wednesday, disclosed that Mrs. Ekweremadu is currently in Nigeria after her release from detention in the UK.
The Ekweremadus and a medical doctor were convicted of organ trafficking by a UK court in March 2023. Following a six-week trial at the Old Bailey, the court found them guilty of conspiring to exploit a young man by facilitating his travel to Britain for the purpose of organ harvesting.
Mr. Ekweremadu was subsequently sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison, while Mrs. Ekweremadu received a sentence of four years and six months.
The aide, who requested anonymity, stated, “Yes, she’s been released. She is back in Nigeria and will not be returning to the UK.”
However, questions have arisen regarding the circumstances surrounding Mrs. Ekweremadu’s release, as her sentence, based on the court’s pronouncement, appears to have been served in less than two years. It remains unclear whether her release was due to a pardon, an early release program, or other factors under UK legal provisions.
“I don’t have details on the specifics of her release, but what I know is that she is out, and it’s a final release,” the aide added.
The high-profile organ trafficking case, which drew significant local and international attention, marked a watershed moment in the legal history of both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The sentencing of the Ekweremadus was the first of its kind under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act.
Mrs. Ekweremadu’s return to Nigeria is expected to reignite conversations around the case, particularly in light of Mr. Ekweremadu’s ongoing incarceration in the UK. Public interest groups have also raised questions about the systemic challenges and human rights issues highlighted by the trial.
As the situation continues to unfold, more details are expected to emerge about the legal basis for Mrs. Ekweremadu’s early release. For now, her return marks another chapter in a case that has gripped both nations.
