Ike Ekweremadu and his wife's case regarding organ harvesting has been postponed by the Central Criminal Court in the UK.
Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice are accused of conspiring to set up or enable another person's travel with the intention of exploitation, specifically organ harvesting.
Obinna Obeta, a third person who works as a doctor in London, however, arrived with the other two.
The main trial will take place in 2023, according to Channels TV's report from the Central Criminal Court in Central London.
In the interim, a pre-trial with the former Deputy Senate President, his wife, and Obeta is set for October 31.
“Just a few moments ago, the brief hearing took place involving the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and a third individual named Obinna Obeta,” the television correspondent said.
“Surprisingly, we didn’t actually see the Senator appear in flesh as well as that third individual, the doctor. We did see Beatrice Ekweremadu in the dock. It was a very brief hearing that was over within a matter of minutes.
“What we do know is that the trial has now been set for 2023. What the judge did say is that the pre-trial will begin the week of October 31.”
Olayinka stated that there are signs that more people may be detained in connection with organ harvesting and mentioned that the congressman would appear via a video link on October 31.
Ekweremadu, a senator from Enugu West Senatorial District, was detained at Heathrow Airport after arriving from Turkey in June.
There were concerns about whether the case broke the Vienna Convention and diplomatic immunity because he had a diplomatic passport.
The Nigerian High Commission in the UK was unable to provide any details, however it is anticipated that the politician will be granted immunity so that he can face prosecution in his home country.
The case began on May 5 when the alleged trafficked victim handed himself to the police authorities on the grounds that he was being coerced into giving his organs despite being under-aged.
However, the case came to the public knowledge on June 23 after Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested by the Metropolitan Police on arrival into the UK from Turkey.
Prosecutors had said that the couple has a daughter with a kidney-related disease and has been on dialysis for quite some time. The British authorities believe the plan was to use an organ from the boy on their daughter who needs a kidney transplant.
Though the alleged victim of trafficking, David Nwamini, claimed he was 15 and was coerced by the Ekweremadus into donating his kidney, the Nigerian government provided records to prove that Nwamini was 21 years old, and not a minor.
Temporary respite came for the Ekweremadus as the Westminster Magistrates’ Court ruled that the alleged trafficked victim is not a minor. Despite the ruling, the lawmaker still faces charges of conspiring to traffick a person for organ harvesting in violation of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.c