Four days to the sentencing of Senator Ike Ekweremadu at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey in the United Kingdom (UK), the lower legislative chamber, Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the government of the United Kingdom and the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the Senator and his wife.

Senator Ekweremadu, 60, was found guilty in March of “organ trafficking”. The senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, was arrested and charged by MET Police in June 2022 for conspiracy to traffic a man, whose name was later revealed as David Nwamini (Ukpo), to the UK for the purpose of harvesting his organ to treat his ailing daughter, Sonia.

Senator Ekweremadu was arraigned alongside his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, and a Nigerian doctor. The trio in their defence , had argued that the victim willingly agreed to donate one of his kidneys to the sick daughter.

But they were found guilty in March by the Westminster Magistrate Court in what has been described as the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act. They will be sentenced on Friday, 5th May,2023.

On Tuesday, Hon.Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu) during plenary raised a motion of urgent public importance calling on Nigeria’s former colonial master and her court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing Senator Ike Ekweremadu found guilty in March of “organ trafficking”.

The House of Representatives resolved to urge the government of the UK and the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing Mr Ekweremadu, a former deputy senate president, his wife and their doctor.

To put necessary pressure on the matter, the House of Representatives also urged the Nigerian government to take all diplomatic steps and other necessary interventions regarding the travails of the Ekweremadu family.

Moving the motion, Mr Okechukwu, who is a political associate of Senator Ekweremadu, said there is a need for clemency based on public service. He noted that the House must take “cognisance of the predicaments of Ekweremadu’s ailing daughter, who needs the financial support and parental love of her parents to scale through her dire health challenge.”

Mr Okechukwu went further: “it is a common practice in international relations for nations, including the UK, to seek relief for their citizens involved in situations such as that of the Ekweremadus.”

Supporting he motion, Hon. Jide Jimoh (APC, Lagos), said Senator Ekweremadu has served the nation meritoriously, hence, the country should come to his aid. “He has served this country meritoriously with a very good record.

“It is only God that is merciful. We are calling on the UK government to be merciful in this situation to ensure the lawmaker is not jailed,” he said.

The House , thereafter, asked the Clerk of the lower legislative chamber to “convey” their resolutions in writing to the British Embassy, the UK government and the parliament.