Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has appealed to the Chief Clerk of the Central Criminal Court in London to show mercy in the case of former Nigerian Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
Ekweremadu and his wife were convicted of conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year-old from Nigeria to the UK in order to harvest organs for their daughter.
In his letter, Obasanjo acknowledged the unpleasant and condemnable nature of their actions, but appealed for mercy on the grounds of the warm relations between the UK and Nigeria, Ekweremadu’s position as a distinguished Senator, and the urgent medical attention required by their daughter.
He urged the court and the UK government to consider the couple’s good character and parental instincts in their punishment.
Obasanjo expressed hope that the Ekweremadus would learn from their experience and continue to be outstanding members of their community, contributing to the good of society and the nation.
Obasanjo’s letter reads in part: “Mr. Chief Clerk, I am very much aware of the current travails and conviction of Ike Ekweremadu and his wife in the United Kingdom resulting from their being charged with conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year old from Nigeria to the UK in order to harvest organs for their daughter. I do realise the implications of their action and I dare say, it is unpleasant and condemnable and can’t be tolerated in any sane or civilized society.
“However, it is my fervent desire for the very warm relations between the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Nigeria; for his position as one of the distinguished Senators in the Nigerian Parliament, and also for the sake of their daughter in question whose current health condition is in danger and requires an urgent medical attention, you will use your good offices to intervene and appeal to the court and the government of the United Kingdom to be magnanimous enough to temper justice with mercy and let punishment that may have to come take their good character and parental instinct and care into consideration.
“I do hope Mr. and Mrs. Ekweremadu have learnt from this distressing experience of theirs to guide their future actions or inactions so they will continue to be outstanding members of their community and will continue to contribute fully to the good of the society in particular and the nation in general.”
