The lawyer added that Ukpo was not 15 years as claimed and he had allegedly told his client that he was 21 years. He added that Ukpo had also allegedly told the United Kingdom authorities that he was 15 years and that he did not want to return to Nigeria, after being asked to do so.
Ekweremadu and his wife, on June 23, were remanded in UK police custody after they were arraigned before the Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court for alleged conspiracy to facilitate the travel of Ukpo, alleged to be a minor, for organ harvesting.
Awomolo, on his grounds for seeking the release of the Certified True Copy of Ukpo’s biodata by the National Identity Management Commission, on behalf of his clients, prayed the court to grant the request in order to fast-track investigation that would prove the innocence of the Ekweremadus.
He said, “The applicants have a daughter named Sonia Ekweremadu, who is suffering from kidney failure and the applicants have been managing it for about five years.
“The said daughter of the applicants urgently needed a kidney transplant to save her life.
“David Ukpo offered to donate one of his kidneys to the daughter of the applicants if his kidney is compatible with that of Miss Sonia Ekweremadu.
“David Ukpo informed the applicants that he is 21 years of age having being born in the year 2000.
“The first applicant supported the visa application of Ukpo to the UK with a letter to the British High Commission in Nigeria, explaining the purpose of the visit, to enable him to undergo a medical examination in the United Kingdom so that the donor and Sonia Ekweremadu get the best of medical attention.
“After conducting various medical tests, the Royal Free Hospital in London decided that the said David Ukpo was not a suitable donor because his kidney is not compatible with that of Sonia Ekweremadu.
“Ukpo told the UK police that he is 15 years contrary to the information supplied to the applicants by the same Ukpo.
“The applicants verily believe that Ukpo was actually 21 years or more having regards to the public records in the custody of the respondents.
“The applicants were arrested by the Metropolitan Police in the UK on June 21 for the allegation that they brought a 15-year-old child to the UK to harvest his organs.
“The Applicants were charged before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, United Kingdom on June 23, 2022, for offences of conspiracy to facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.
“The court denied them bail and they are presently in the custody of UK authorities.
“The applicants require documents from the respondents to assist in the fair criminal investigation and as facts in their defence to establish their innocence of the allegation in the charge and to prove that Ukpo is not a minor and indeed consented to the medical examination in the UK.
“The said Ukpo is presently in care in the custody of British Authorities and he cannot be accessed by the applicants.
“The documents being sought to be handed over to the applicants will support the applicants in their defence and establish their innocence of the charges brought against them.”
The PUNCH reported that the court granted the request for Ukpo’s details to be released by the NIMC and the Nigerian Immigration Service.
