Ekweremadu and his wife, alongside Nigerian doctor Obinna Obeta, were recently found guilty of attempted organ harvesting of a Nigerian trafficked to Britain to provide a kidney for their ailing daughter.
However, Obasanjo, in a letter dated April 3, 2023 and addressed to the Chief Clerk of the court titled “Re: Ike Ekweremadu,” said even though Ekweremadu’s action was condemnable and unacceptable, he has contributed his quota to the socio-political development of Nigeria, adding that his punishment should consider his past records of good deeds and the plight of his ailing daughter.
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, Obasanjo, in a letter dated April 3, 2023 and addressed to the Chief Clerk of the court titled “Re: Ike Ekweremadu,” said even though Ekweremadu’s action was condemnable and unacceptable, he has contributed his quota to the socio-political development of Nigeria, adding that his punishment should consider his past records of good deeds and the plight of his ailing daughter.
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.”
U try baba
ReplyDeleteThis is one good thing about Obasanjo that makes him rank ahead of his mates and colleagues.
ReplyDeleteWell-done Sir
A true elder statesman!
ReplyDeleteEven if Ekweremadu and his wife are guilty of the charges levied against them, the government of Nigeria owes him that solidarity to seek for pardon and leniency on his case for a lighter sentence, knowing he is a sitting senator at the time and currently serving the country.
Instead of doing that, the Nigerian authority clandestinely through the EFCC wrote to the UK authority to deal with him.
This they did and more wickedly, approached the court to confiscate all his belongings. All thanks to the Judge who didn't miss word by condemning their acts and disgraceful manners by striking out the injunction.
A vindictive government.
Omg they wrote for him to be dealt with?
DeletePoliticians and witch hunting is like 5 and 6
At least 50% of criminals have a justifiable reason for committing a crime. Are you saying the justice system should let them walk free?
DeleteTEEJAY, biko putaba. He should face the consequences.
DeleteThe only person I feel for is the sick daughter .
Tamper gini with mercy? Akuko.
@Gifty, yes they did. It's in the public knowledge. The EFCC compounded his problems. They did that secretly but it was exposed.
DeleteAnon 10:31,
No one is saying Ekweremadu should be allowed to walk freely. All OBJ is saying is for a lighter sentence. It doesn't put off the fact he is guilty.
The government wrote that ?😳
DeleteTeejay Do you know that going by this letter, It will put Ekweremmadu into more problems...Anyway the British Government won't consider it...However There is no excuse for Ekweremmadu, he is a seasoned sound Lawyer who even lectures in a school in UK...You can tell me he does not know about what he did...There should be no plea bargain he must go the whole 9 yards....
DeleteWhat leniency? What tampering of justice with mercy? He should rot in there please.
ReplyDeleteOk bye!
Gbam
DeleteFan Emmanuel
Allocutus
ReplyDeleteWhich mercy? Typical Nigerian, abi oju aye ni baba nse ni?
ReplyDeleteYou commit the crime, you bear the consequences, this is not Nigeria where some set of people think they are above the law, and a law maker for that matter. I only pity their sick daughter.
Anne K,
DeleteHe's guilty to the charges no doubt but in a court there's still a plea bargain in cases.
You're a parent and should know better why Ekweremadu did what he did. His only crime was going through it the wrong way.
Any parent could have done this to save their child.
Every sane country considers your past in sentencing depending on the crime
DeleteYes I'm parent Teejay, but I'm not going to take advantage of another person child to save my own child, no I'm not that wicked.
DeleteLike the anon 09:18 said down there, if this had happened in Nigeria, that boy would have been an history by now.
How many years has Ekweremadu used in the upper chamber? What stopped him and his colleagues from building a world class hospital that could be beneficial to their constituents or whatever it is called, no they'll rather transport themselves abroad for first class treatment at the expense of you and I, the tax payers. Let's not be sentimental here at all.
Do you know that former first lady Please Jonathan was building what would have been a world class hospital at Jabi before they left office, but when they left power, the place was converted to an hotel, what does that tell you Teejay.
DeleteTEEJAY, kee ife ina akodi ifea?
DeleteSo they should harvest someone's child organ to save their own child.
So nwa ha bu nwa mana the other child bu nwa awatalu na nku?
What about making public plea with a monetary reward attached to it and I believe a lot of people will step forward to help.
This is one of the reasons Nigeria is not going forward.
Once an adult commit a crime, let the person face the consequences because they know 100% well that what they did was wrong.
All these tamper justice with mercy , what does that even mean.
The plea if for the UK government to find the right way and treat the sick lady.
You still don't get my comment. I said he went through it the wrong way. There's nothing wrong or a crime donating an organ but he didn't follow the right process. He would have gone into proper arrangement to that with a more mature mind. It wouldn't have been this messy if an adult was used.
DeleteThis Teejay sha. SMH
DeleteTee Jay you’re too double standard and it bothers me try Dey try no vex Abeg just try .
DeleteOh God show them mercy ..
ReplyDeleteLet your mercy prevail over judgement in Jesus Name.Amen..
No oh he should do his time for his crime. Imagine if it all played out in Nigeria. That poor boy will never see sunlight again, he probably will be locked up with trumped up charges, while the real criminal sits in their hallowed chambers chopping life with our money. Ya norogodi ebe ahu first
ReplyDeletePoor boy 🤣🤣🤣
DeleteBaba, leave matter abeg. Y'all are the reason Nigeria is the way it is today.
ReplyDeleteHow is he the reason?
DeleteThe person they wanted to use before is he not somebody's child?
ReplyDeleteLife with no repercussions.
ReplyDeleteSo they were found guilty?🥺 😔
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the court transcript, but someone was kind enough to provide cliffs.
ReplyDeleteDidn't the family imply that the ailment was hereditary, that's why a relative wouldnt be the best option for the donation? That was a complete lie! I guess they just didn't want someone in their family to be "incomplete".
The messages shared between father and daughter sounded disturbing. She was giving commentary about prospective donors her dad sent her, like she was talking about non-living things!
"I don't like the light-skinned one...he looks like he has sense and will run away". "The dark-skinned one looks very desperate, he will accept anything".
Just negodu! And Teejay is going around talking about plea bargain; he should rot in prison for his wickedness and callousness.. he’s a murderer.
DeleteTJ, I pray this doesn’t happen to ur loved ones and the perpetrators go about asking for mercy after all they wanted to save their life.
If this wasn’t an Igbo politician, I’m very sure you would have been all over talking about his incompetencies and here you re talking about mercy bcos he happens to be Igbo even though he isn’t any less wivked and soulless than his other counterparts.
Ike Ekweremadu should pay for his crime
And yes I’m Igbo and we are known to favour competency and not just tribesman
Teejay you failed in this one
No, they must not! He must do the whole time
ReplyDeleteBest comment.
DeleteEvil man ,he thought British government does not know about his antecedents when in government. The reason our institution are not working are because of all these Evil elders who really on traditions ,rather than the way things should work. If it were in Nigeria, the boy might even been in custody by now despite the fact that he is the one at the receiving end. Our system is adjusted to work for the rich and powerful, reasons our chemistry for money is very active. A system is not supposed to be like that, but on due process and following rules of law. Obasanjo always like dancing to the gallery and with his stinking controlling behaviour Evil man.
ReplyDeleteWill the judge listen to Obasanjo plea we shall see
ReplyDeleteObj leave justice to prevail in saner climes since you guys didn’t set up any serious judiciary in Nigeria! Your plea May help reduce the years they sentence him but will not stop justice from being served. “A child without home training will get it outside”. All Nigerian looters & fraudsters will receive what they deserve in other countries.
ReplyDeleteMYB OBJ
ReplyDelete