Beatrice Ekweremadu, the wife of the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has distanced herself from his search for a kidney donor for their ailing daughter, Sonia.
The embattled senator and his wife are being held in the United Kingdom for allegedly trafficking a young man, identified as David Ukpo, into the country to harvest his kidney.
Speaking on Monday at the Old Bailey in London where she is standing trial alongside her husband, daughter, and one medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, Beatrice denied the allegation of having knowledge about the kidney donor.
She claimed David was falsely presented as Sonia’s cousin in a failed bid to persuade doctors to carry out an £80,000 private procedure at the Royal Free Hospital.
Describing the family’s finances, Beatrice told the court that her husband took care of the house, stressing that she only carried out domestic duties which included visiting their children in school in the UK every couple of weeks.
On how they discovered that their daughter had a kidney problem, Ekwerendmadu said Sonia fell sick in 2019 and was diagnosed with the problem in the UK.
According to BBC, the defence lawyer, Anu Mohindru KC, was quoted as saying, “There are text messages from your husband keeping you informed of what was happening. Is that something he would do?”
Beatrice replied in affirmation, noting that her husband only tells her things she needed to know.
She said: “Yes. He tells me what he thinks I need to know.”
When asked if Ekweremadu had relayed his discussions with his medically trained brother, Diwe.
Beatrice told jurors she regarded Diwe Ekweremadu as the family doctor but did not ask about it.
It is alleged that Diwe’s former classmate, Obeta had offered to help the family.
The lawyer further asked Ekweremadu’s wife if she was involved in identifying any candidates, and she denied it.
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Ekweremadu’s Wife Distances Self From Husband’s Search for Kidney