Tijani Adeyemi
The Senate on Wednesday joined the House of Representatives to plead clemency for former Deputy Senate Presidency, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who alongside his wife, Beatrice awaiting sentencing after having been convicted by the Central Criminal Court, London, United Kingdom, (UK) for offences relating to breach of novel Modern Slavery Act, 2015.
The upper chamber said though the Ekwremadus are the first offenders but there is no ignorance in law, hence the plea that the British court temper justice with mercy.
The couple and a personal physician, Dr Obinna Obeta were in March found guilty of “conspiracy to facilitate and arrange travel with the aim of exploitation,” by an Old Bailey jury.
The Nigerian lawmaker will be convicted on Friday.
The decision by the Senate followed a motion by Senator Chukwuka Utazi, Minority Leader at plenary on Wednesday seeking parliamentary intervention for Ekweremadu who served 12 years as deputy senate president.
Moving the motion, Utazi said given the case of conviction of kidney organ harvesting allegation involving an Ebonyi 21 years old man.
“Whereas they are seen as first offenders and they do not have any previous criminal records, considering that Ekweremadu was ignorant of seeking out kidney donors to come to the United Kingdom and even applying to British Government in Abuja for a visa for the donor.
“Whereas the Senate is not happy with the conviction of the Ekweremadus’ and ignorance of the law is not an excuse, but they were faced with these circumstances in a bid to save their dying daughter, Sonia.
“This Senate is not in any way appealing to the conviction of the Ekweremadus’ nevertheless it is joining them in their plea by asking for Clemency in the coming sentencing two days away.”
Utazi said “that Clemency may be extended to the Ekweremadus’ considering that all of the convicts are first offenders.
In his remark, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said he “has written a letter to the British judicial authorities about two-three weeks ago on behalf of the Senate seeking for Clemency, given the history of Senator Ekweremadu.
“We are now using this particular intervention, to seek Clemency in the sentencing, the conviction has been done, but we are seeking Clemency because this is the first time, our colleague, a patriot, a leader, a great leader, a very peaceful man is getting involved in this kind of thing.
“Had we all known that this would be the case, certainly we would not have gone into that kind of situation because we are law-abiding citizens and we respect our country and its laws and laws of other countries.”
Recall that the House of Representatives on Tuesday while seeking clemency, directed the Clerk to the House to write the trial court.
