The British Government and the Central Criminal Court of the United Kingdom have been requested by the House of Representatives to “temper justice with mercy” while sentencing Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a former Deputy President of the Senate.
Few days before Ike Ekweremadu’s actual sentencing on May 5, the House of Representatives has made an appeal to the UK government to grant Ekweremadu and his wife clemency. This comes nearly a month after former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote to a United Kingdom court that found former Nigerian Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, guilty of organ harvesting, and begged for leniency.
The request was made shortly after the deputy minority leader of the House, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, made a motion headed “Motion on the Need for Clemency for Senator Ike Ekweremadu” under a matter of urgent public interest at Tuesday’s session.
According to Okechukwu, “Senator Ike Ekweremadu acted within his limited knowledge of the UK laws and did write to the UK High Commission to support the medical visa application for the potential donor and did declare the purpose of the trip.
“Senator Ekweremadu and Mrs Beatrice acted under the natural instincts of parents to save an ailing daughter, and not for commercial purposes.
“It is a common practice in International Relations for nations, including the UK, to seek relief for their citizens involved in situations such as that of the Ekweremadu. The House is also aware of the longstanding history and cordial ties between Nigeria and the UK.”
Okechukwu said that the former deputy senate president followed the rules as well as he could, wrote to the UK high commission to support the possible donor’s application for a medical visa, and disclosed the trip’s intended purpose. He called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take all necessary diplomatic measures and other interventions to get the Ekweremadus out of their current predicament.
Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, also wrote to the London court to request mercy for the ex-lawmaker.
“Ekweremadu is highly appreciated in the parliament and the West African sub-region for his sterling roles in the development of the Community Parliament and the preservations and stabilisation of democracy in the sub-region.
“Concerning his daughter, Sonia, I wish to state that it is a common feeling among parents, especially in Africa, not to bury or survive his or her child. As a father, therefore, I can easily relate to the pains, dilemma, and crossroads of the Senator and his wife over the health condition of their ailing daughter, who must still undergo a kidney transplant to stand a chance of surviving to fulfil her destiny. And who else could foot the bills better and also provide that morale support for the daughter? It still remains Senator and Mrs Ekweremadu. It is certain that Sonia cannot survive the absence of her parents in her present health condition,” he added.
Glamour Adah
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