A market trader who was allegedly trafficked from Nigeria to provide a kidney for a senator’s daughter has been accused of lying to police to make himself seem like a ‘very vulnerable juvenile’.
Prosecutors say the 21-year-old, David Nwamini, was illegally brought to the UK by Ike Ekweremadu, 60, after claims he would be able to work and the offer of 1.2m or 3.5m Naira, the equivalent of £2,400 or £7,000.
The court heard the alleged victim was asked to donate his kidney to Ike’s 25-year-old daughter Sonia, who suffers from a ‘significant and deteriorating kidney condition’ and requires dialysis until she receives a transplant.
After Sonia’s doctor rejected him as a donor, the man wandered the streets for three days before walking into Staines police station and claiming he was a victim of human trafficking.
The Nigerian politician, along with his wife Beatrice, 56, Sonia and ‘middleman’ Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, all deny conspiracy to arrange the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.
The man (pictured right) was pictured smiling and sharing a meal with Sonia Ekweremadu (pictured left)
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey via video-link, the alleged victim, who has been in the UK for the last year, admitted he had tried to make himself seem vulnerable to police.
He denies knowing he was being offered money to give Sonia his kidney, and claims he did not know about the kidney transplant until he met with a doctor in the UK.
It was claimed the man had been coached before the meeting to say he was Sonia’s cousin when they were not related.
The court had previously been told that the transplant was rejected after doctors decided he was not a suitable candidate.
Sally Howells, KC, cross-examining on behalf of Obeta, reminded the court of what the donor had told police at Staines police station.
He told police he was born in 2006, making him 15 years old.
He does not know his true date of birth but estimates he was born in 2000, making him 20 at the time.
He also told police he was living ‘on the streets’ in Lagos and ‘begging’ for money, when he had really been living in one room with two friends and selling phone parts at a market.
He also claimed his parents had died when he was very young, which he admitted today was a lie.
His father was a carpenter and lived with his mother, four younger brothers and four younger sisters in his village. He had moved to Lagos at 15 years old.
Ms Howells said: ‘It wouldn’t be right to say you were begging for money in Lagos because you were a market hustler selling phone accessories, weren’t you? And you were good at it you told us.
‘You were not begging for money were you?
‘No I was not begging for money,’ the donor replied.
‘Why did you tell the officer you were?’ Ms Howells asked.
‘What I mean is someone who give you money, some customer want to buy at the market, someone would give you money,’ the donor said.
‘Would you describe earing three to four thousand Naira a day as begging?’ Ms Howells asked.
‘No,’ the donor replied.
‘You were not living on the streets of Lagos were you?’ Ms Howells asked.
‘Street is where the market was,’ he replied.
‘You were living in a room you shared with friends, you were not living on the streets, were you?’ Ms Howells asked.
‘The place that we were living we call it street. It’s streets,’ the donor replied.
‘So by telling the officer you were living on the streets you didn’t mean to suggest you had nowhere to live?’ Ms Howells asked.
‘No,’ the man answered.
‘So what you meant was you were living on the house on the street?’ Ms Howells asked.
‘Yes,’ he replied.
‘Were you trying to give the impression you were a very vulnerable young juvenile with nowhere to live in Lagos?’
After some delay the witness answered ‘yes’.
Ike and Beatrice, from Nigeria, Sonia, of Staverton Road, Willesden, and Obeta, of Hillbeck Close, Southwark, deny conspiracy to facilitate the travel of another person with a view to their exploitation.
Yesterday the alleged victim told the court he thought Obeta had been ‘sent from God’, and only found out it was for a kidney transplant when he visited the Royal Free Hospital.
The young man was ‘shocked’, felt like crying, and told jurors: ‘Nobody told me about kidney transplant.’
Beatrice Ekweremadu (right) accompanies her daughter Sonia (left) into the Old Bailey on February 9
The court also heard how he was allegedly directed to lie to the doctor and claim Sonia was his first cousin.
The Home Office had received his visa application on 6 January 2022, which said that he wanted to travel to the UK with his ‘cousin’ Sonia for an organ donation.
It stated: ‘Senator Ike Ekweremadu is sponsoring my medical treatment to enable me to donate an organ to Sonia Chinoso Ekweremadu in Royal Free Hospital London.
‘I wish to state in conclusion of this application that I would be donating an organ to my closest cousin in appreciation for her sacrifices towards me, my family and our community.
‘I am willing to put my life on the line for her to live and continue her good service to humanity.
‘Finally I wish to say that I will be travelling in company with my uncle Obinna Abalgou, he has been a father figure, since I lost my biological father’.
In a video-taped interview, the alleged victim also told police he was treated like a ‘slave’ at the house in London where he was staying.
He claimed he was told he had to go ahead with the operation in exchange for 1.2 million naira (around £2,000).
He said: ‘I was afraid because I don’t know what they are going to do to me.’
He initially set off on foot from London not knowing where he was going and asked any black people he saw for help.
Even though he was given money, he had nowhere to stay so decided to ask for directions to a police station, the court was told.
The trial continues.
Daily Mail (UK)