Former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, have been arrested in London by the Metropolitan Police.
They have also been charged with trying to bring a child to the UK to allegedly harvest organs.
The Metropolitan Police said the duo have been remanded in custody and the child is confirmed to be safe.
TheNiche gathered that the investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.
Confirming the arrests in a statement, the Metropolitan Police said the pair were charged to court on Thursday following an investigation by the police’ specialist crime team.
“Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 (10.9.66) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting,” the statement reads.
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“Ike Ekweremadu, 60 (12.05.62) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.
“They have both been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court later today.”
“A child has been safeguarded and we are working closely with partners on continued support.
“As criminal proceedings are now under way we will not be providing further details.”
Reporting the story, The Guardian of London wrote:
A man and a woman have been charged with conspiring to arrange to bring a child to the UK to harvest organs, the Metropolitan police said.
Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, and Ike Ekweremadu, 60, from Nigeria, are charged with conspiracy to harvest organs.
The charges involve arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting, the Met said in a statement.
Both have been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge magistrates court later on Thursday.
The child involved has been safeguarded, according to the Met.
The investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022, the force said.
No more details were available because criminal proceedings are under way.
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