Says it ‘ll save those in his scholarship scheme
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The proprietor of Gregory University Uturu (GUU), Professor Greg Ibe, has pleaded with King Charles lll of England, to consider a royal pardon for Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, jailed in London over organ harvest plot.
Ikengaonline had reported that Ekweremadu was Friday, sentenced to 10 years in prison by a London Court for facilitating the movement of a young man to the UK with the intention to have his kidney harvested and transplanted to his daughter, Sonia who is suffering from kidney disease.
His wife, Beatrice, and Dr Obinna Obeta were convicted for similar offense but while Obeta is to serve for 10 years in prison, Beatrice bagged only four years and six months.
Recall that before the court finally delivered judgment on the matter, prominent individuals including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and House of Representatives, as well as ECOWAS Parliament, had appealed for clemency which was, however, overlooked.
Meanwhile, Professor Ibe in a press statement Saturday, passionately appealed to King Charles to consider the future of those depending on Ekweremadu’s philanthropic scholarship scheme to graduate from tertiary institutions.
Professor Ibe noted that his intercession for the Ekweremadus did not amount to justifying their actions but on humanitarian grounds in view of their peculiar circumstance.
According to a press statement personally signed by Professor Ibe, steps should also be taken to appeal the judgment.
The statement read in part: “I have read with reservations trending news of the unfortunate sentencing of Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice and Dr Obinna Obeta by a court in the United Kingdom on allegation of organ harvesting.
“It will be recalled that during the trial process our university joined other well meaning Nigerians, including former President Obasanjo in appealing to the court and indeed the UK government for clemency on diplomatic and compassionate grounds.
“Now that it appears our several pleas didn’t secure the leniency of the UK judiciary, I am compelled by the impending negative impact of the sentence on our nation’s image and the unfortunate gloomy fate of countless youths who are beneficiaries of Senator Ekweremadu’s philanthropic benevolence to call for immediate commencement of legal appeal proceedings, in an effort to reverse the judgment.
“While acknowledging that the various intercessions from well meaning Nigerians do not confer any form of innocence on Senator Ekweremadu and his team, it is important to reassert the place of appeals to temper justice with mercy in every temple of justice.
“I wish to enjoin all affected beneficiaries of Senator Ekweremadu’s academic benevolence, especially in Gregory University Uturu, to keep hope alive as I partner other public spirited individuals in commencing multi-dimensional intervention in order to deliver timely succor and relief.”
