BEATRICE Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has been released from a United Kingdom’s prison and has subsequently returned to Nigeria.
This newspaper reports that a reliable source confirmed her return on Wednesday, marking the end of her six-year prison sentence for her involvement in a puzzling organ harvesting case.
Recall that Beatrice, her husband Ekweremadu, and medical doctor Obinna Obeta were convicted in the United Kingdom last year for conspiring to exploit a young Nigerian boy for organ harvesting.
The boy, who had been hawking in Lagos, was allegedly lured to the UK under false pretences to donate an organ for the couple’s ailing daughter, Sophia.
Following the trial, Ike Ekweremadu was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Beatrice received a six-year sentence despite citing health concerns during proceedings.
Her return has reportedly sparked celebrations across Enugu State, where supporters and well-wishers were hopeful for the eventual release of her husband.
Many have expressed solidarity with the Ekweremadu family, offering prayers for his return in the shortest possible time.
The case remains one of the most high-profile legal battles involving a Nigerian politician in recent history.
The Ekweremadus’ conviction was the first under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The sentencing comes after pleas from multiple prominent personalities and institutions, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Other petitioners included both chambers of the National Assembly; the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC).
