Since yesterday, rumours of the sentencing of Nigeria’s former deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu over their organ trafficking case in the United kingdom, UK, went viral and was so popular across social media platforms.
Unfortunately, just like the usual trademark characteristic of social media journalism in this part of the world, were people hurriedly indulge in the sharing of information without any form of verification or inclusion of a credible source of such information. Sadly, that eventually became the fate of the alleged sentencing of Ekweremadu to ten (10) years jail term in UK, along with his wife and a Nigerian doctor.
After carrying out series of further investigation into the news making rounds since yesterday on the aforementioned, we couldn’t possibly lay hands on any of such across different reputable news platforms. And as such, it ended up in the usual style of the recent style of journalism in Nigeria, especially since the advent of social media.
Meanwhile, following the March 23, 2023 conviction of Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu and their UK based doctor, Obinna Obeta, for luring a young man into the United Kingdom with the intention of harvesting his organs, the trial judge of the case that lasted for about six weeks at the Old Bailey, Justice Jeremy Johnson slated May 5, 2023, for sentencing of the already convicted culprits. And never was it reported anywhere as well that the date for their sentencing has been brought forward, as such, the news flying aimless in the air is unverifiable at the moment, and as such, is worthy of being discarded into the fake news bin.
Funny enough, while some reported that he has been sentenced to 10 years jail term, some others reported that the Enugu State born Senator has been sentenced to death. And it is so unfortunate that this sort of reportage has seemingly become our culture of journalism here, such that both the educated, uneducated, well travelled, elite, and vice versa are all deeply involved in this mess.
Meanwhile, it is understood that under the UK modern slavery act, the crime committed by Ike Ekweremadu and others involved, following the recent verdict of the trial court, attracts 10 years jail term each, except otherwise. But that does not in anyway validates the rumours making rounds already.
On the other hand, a lot of both sympathy and empathy have continued to pour in for the sake of the sick daughter of the embattled Senator, Sonia Ekweremadu, who is reported to be the person needing the organ which was to be harvested from the young man who had traveled to UK with Ekweremadu, for the purpose of that exercise.
Even the former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, had in April this year written to Britain to tamper justice with mercy in the Ekweremadu case, most especially for the sake of their sick daughter, Sonia. Unfortunately, it seems the letter haven’t yielded the expected result yet, as we await what becomes their fate on May 5, 2023.
(Photo credit: Daily Post, Vanguard and Legit News)
