Ekweremadu asks court to dismiss alleged organ harvesting victim's lawsuit over biological data

A former Deputy Senate Speaker, Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja to reject the request of alleged organ harvesting victim, David Nwamini, seeking to prevent the disclosure of his data biologics to the British authorities.

The court had, on July 1, ordered the disclosure of Mr. Nwamini's biometric information.

The order was issued in a suit brought by Mr. Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, who were seeking information to defend themselves against allegations of an unlawful attempt to remove Mr. Nwamini for their sick daughter in London.

But last month, Mr. Nwamini filed a motion asking the court to set aside the order disclosing his biometric information to Mr. Ekweremadu.

London Metropolitan Police had apprehended Mr Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, on an allegation that they lured Mr Nwanini to remove his kidney in London.

Prosecutors say the Ekweremadus were charged with trafficking a 15-year-old boy from Nigeria to the UK by tricking him with a promise to give him a better life in the UK when the real mission was in fact to harvest his organ.

But the couple had denied the charge, insisting Mr Nwanini was 21. They had requested his official records from Nigerian banks and relevant government authorities to prove their claim.

A Federal High Court Abuja Judge, Inyang Ekwo, after considering their claims, in his July 1 ruling ordered banks and government authorities to release Mr. Nwanini's biometric information to the Attorney General of the Federation who would forward the file to the London court where the Ekweremadus would need it.

But challenging the court order in a motion he filed in August, Mr Nwamini urged the court to overturn the order.

He argued that he was denied a fair trial in the proceedings that led to the court order. He also said the court order violated his right to privacy.

Ekweremadu Deposits

Responding to Mr. Nwaini's request, the Ekweremadus urged the court to reject it.

In a counter affidavit filed by Bright Ekweremadu, a younger brother of the incarcerated senator, Mr. Ekweremadu denied asking for Nwamini's biographical data.

The affiant instead claimed that what the Federal High Court had ordered to be handed over to the London court was Mr Nwamini's bank account opening records and the information provided in his visa application.

In any event, Mr Ekweremadu revealed that, based on the July 1 court order, the requested documents have since been forwarded to two different courts in the UK.

The affiant claimed that it was too late in the day for Nwamini to seek the reversal of a valid order that had been executed to determine his genuine age.

He urged the court to dismiss the lawsuit for being "frivolous" and without merit having been overtaken by the event.

Nwanini's lawyer asks for an adjournment

During Tuesday's proceedings, Nwamini's lawyer, Ojonugwa Oguche, urged the court to adjourn the trial to respond to Mr. Ekweremadu's statements.

The request was granted and the case was set for September 20 for hearing by Mr. Ekwo.

Mr. Ekweremadu was represented by senior Nigerian counsel, Eyitayo Fatigun.

Mr. Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested on June 23 in the UK by London Met Police and charged with conspiracy to smuggle a child into the UK for the purpose of organ removal.

While his wife was released on bail, Mr. Ekweremadu, whose bail request was rejected, remains in detention in London.

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