Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Those celebrating the travails of the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, over their arrest and subsequent detention by London police for allegedly facilitating the travel of a minor from Nigeria to the United Kingdom to donate a kidney to their ailing daughter, may be disappointed.
This is following the emergence of fresh facts showing some glaring discrepancies in the claims of the supposed donor, David Ukpo Nwamini.
The London metropolitan police, Thursday, said they were charging both Ekweremadu and his wife to court following an investigation by the police’s specialist crime team which was launched after detectives were alerted of potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.
Ekweremadu and his wife were subsequently remanded in custody and are expected to remain in custody until July 7, pending further investigation.
Ikengaonline gathered that Ekweremadu’s daughter, Sonia developed kidney-related problem and had been undergoing dialysis and needed a kidney transplant.
The family searched for and identified a willing donor in Nigeria whose name was given as Ukpo Nwamini David.
Subsequently, the family secured travel documents for the donor and sponsored his travel to the UK.
It was further gathered that the donor has been staying in Britain since February 2022 and is being properly cantered for by the Ekweremadus.
Ikengaonline gathered that posts on his Facebook page indicated he had been staying in London.
Some of the photographs included the ones he took with his girl friend, who posted on her Facebook page, Princess David, that she was “in a relationship with ‘Unstoppable.’
It was said that before the kidney transplant was to be done, however, the surgeons at the Royal Free Hospital London discovered that Ukpo’s kidney could not match Sonia’s.
“So, the operation could not be performed. The sources further revealed that Ukpo was therefore expected to return to Nigeria in May and that was when the trouble started. He didn’t want to return to Nigeria and believed he could secure an asylum in UK.
Ukpo, sources said then told the police that he was a minor, aged 15 years. He also told the police that he was deceived he would be given a better life in UK, unknown to him that the plan was to harvest his organ and that he was being forced back to Nigeria.
Fresh facts that emerged have now exposed some discrepancies in the claims by Ukpo showing he probably wants to play a smart game on the Ekweremadus.
In his international passport, issued on November 4, 2021, with the name David Ukpo Nwamini, his date of birth was given as October 12, 2000, which confirmed that he is actually 21 years old and not 15 as he told the London Police.
Same date of birth was recorded for him while registering for the National Identification Number on June 15, 2021, with his NIN given as 19438077110.
Similarly, in a letter, dated December 28, 2021, addressed to the Visa Section, British High Commission, Abuja, Senator Ekweremadu clearly stated the reason for the Visa application on behalf of Ukpo.
In his letter, Senator Ekweremadu wrote: “I am writing in support of the visa application made by Mr Ukpo Nwamini David who is currently having medical investigations for a kidney donation to Ms Sonia Ekweremadu.
David and Sonia will be at the Royal Free Hospital London, and I will be providing the necessary funding.”
This shows that the reason for Ukpo’s trip to the UK was not hidden.
Pictures of the information page of Ukpo, his NIN registration and Facebook poses say more about the development in London.
Ukpo could be in for troubles if further investigations confirm he was lying.
