‘I bin dey cry wen doctor tell me about kidney transplant’ – victim for Ekweremadu alleged organ harvest case tell court

Defendants Beatrice Ekweremadu (l) and Sonia Ekweremadu outside di Old Bailey

BBC

One Nigeria market trader wey dem allegedly traffick go London don tell jury say im shock wen on doctor tell am say im go do kidney transplant.

Di man wey we no fit call im name sake of legal reason, say im bin tink say im dey go UK for work.

For di Old Bailey, Nigeria politician Ike Ekweremadu, 60, don dey say im no break modern slavery laws.

E dey face accuse say im carry one 21-year-old man go UK to provide for im daughter Sonia.

Im wifeBeatrice, 56, daughter Sonia, 25, and associate Dr Obina Obeta, 50, also deny say dem follow conspire to arrange or facilitate the travel of the young man to Britain wit di mind to exploit am.

Di goment lawyers claim say Ekweremadu bin pay middle-men thousands of pounds to find am donor for Nigeria and arrange di kidney transplant for Britain.

‘Control’

Di allege victim claim say dem “control” am and dem tell am to lie to say im get family connection wit di Ekweremadu family before im do consultation for di Royal Free Hospital, north London, for February 2022. Na so im tell di jury.

Di court hear wen di doctor tell am say im dey dia for kidney transplant, im bin dey “shocked”.

“I bin dey cry wen im tell me about am. I tell am say I no sabi anytin about kidney transplant,” di court hear.

However, out of concern for im young age and say im no get any idea about di process, two Royal Free doctors both say make di transplant no happun.

Giving evidence through one video link, di Nigeria man tell jury say im grow up for one small village wey no get light or water.

Im move go Lagos at age 15 to work wit one of im uncle wey dey sell mobile phone accessories for one market.

Six years later, Dr Obeta – wey dem describe as Oga Ekweremadu fixer – offer am opportunity to travel go London.

“Di first day wey im call medi only tin wey im tell me na about work,” di di alleged trafficking victim tok.

“E ask me make I no tell pipo say I dey come UK.”

Afta successful passport and visa application im fly go London, di court hear.

As im bin dey chop dia, dem tell am to “dress up” and im meet one woman wey im identify for court as Sonia Ekweremadu.

Sonia Ekweremadu get serious kidney condition wey require dialysis, and transplant, dem tell jury.

Dem two take one foto togeda. Dem tell di jury say dis na to create fake photographic “back story” say dem sabi sabi each oda.

Despite di decision not to go ahead wit di transplant, di alleged victim give evidence say two oda doctors wey dem no identify bin later examine am for for Dr Obeta house wey im also accuse say e make am work like “houseboy” im no pay am, im tell jury.

Im run comot from di house, dey sleep anywia wey im see and im waka for two days inside London, di court hear.

Finally im say “di cold bin too much. Di cold almost kill me dat day. Dat na why I bin no get choice”.

Im waka enta one police station for Staines, na dis lead to police investigation wey lead to dis trial.

Defence lawyer for Dr Obina Obeta don begin cross examination and di trial continues.