By Deborah Onyofufeke
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, have dragged the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Stanbic-IBTC Bank, United Bank of Africa, and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc to court

On account of the controversies surrounding the real age of David Ukpo, who accused the Ekweremadu of trafficking him to the United Kingdom for the sole aim of harvesting his organ.

The Couple (Ekweremadu’s) who are currently detained in the United Kingdom, have filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022

In the suit, the Plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, is praying the court for an order directing the NIMC to supply them with the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the bio-data information of David Nwamini Ukpo.

They held that Ukpo’s National Identification Number, NIN, with No:19438077110, which is in the possession of NIMC, should be produced to help make easier the criminal investigation as well as tender same to establish their innocence with respect to the age of the alleged victim, in the criminal charge pending against them before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court.

They also requested an order, directing the Immigration boss, to make available to them, documents and application form of David Nwamini Ukpo, which was presented for the issuance of his International passport with No. BO0569974.

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From Stanbic-IBTC Bank, they sought a court order directing the Bank to supply them with the CTC of mandate card and account opening package of account No. 0032551834 maintained by its customer, Ukpo, with Bank Verification Number 22509616391 in the custody of the bank, for the purpose of submitting it to establish their innocence in respect to his age in the criminal charges filed against the applicants.

They also requested a court order directing UBA to supply the applicants with the CTC of mandate card and account opening package of account No. 2195739574 maintained by Ukpo with Bank Verification Number 22509616391 in the custody of the bank, for the purpose of tendering same to establish the innocence of the applicants.

The applicants raised 20 grounds they urged the court to consider before granting their request.

The matter has been assigned to Justice Inyang Ekwo, who has fixed July 1 for hearing

Ekweremadu, through his lawyer, stated that he is a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Enugu West Senatorial District, adding that the 2nd applicant, his wife, is a chartered accountant and civil servant.

“The applicants have a daughter named Sonia Ekweremadu, who is suffering from kidney failure and the applicants have been managing it for about five years.

“The said daughter of the applicants urgently needed kidney transplant to save her life.

“David Nwamini Ukpo, offered to donate one of his kidneys for the daughter of the applicants if his kidney is compatible with that of Miss Sonia Ekweremadu.

“David Nwamini Ukpo informed the applicants that he is Twenty One (21) years of age having being born In the year 2000.

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“The 1st applicant supported the visa application of David Nwamini Ukpo to the United Kingdom with a letter to the British High Commission in Nigeria, explaining the purpose of the visit i.e to enable him undergo medical examination in the United Kingdom so that the donor and Sonia Ekweremadu get the best of medical attention.

“After conducting various medical tests, the Royal Free Hospital in London decided that the said David Nwamini Ukpo was not a suitable donor because his kidney is not compatible with that of Sonia Ekweremadu”, the applicants added.

They told the court that Ukpo was asked to return to Nigeria, but rather than do so, he approached the authorities in the United Kingdom for protection from being returned to Nigeria.

“David Nwamini Ukpo told the United Kingdom police that he is fifteen years of age contrary to the information supplied to the applicants by the same David Nwamini Ukpo.

“The applicants verily believe that Ukpo was actually 21 or more having regards to the public records in the custody of the respondents.

“The applicants were arrested by the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom on June 21 for the allegation that they brought a 15-year-old child (a minor) to the UK to harvest his organs.

“The applicants were charged before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, United Kingdom on the 23rd of June 2022 for offences of conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

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“The court denied them bail and they are presently in the custody of UK authorities.

“The applicants require documents from the respondents to assist in the fair criminal investigation and as facts In their defense to establish their innocence of the allegation In the charge and to prove that David Nwamini Ukpo is not a minor and Indeed consented to the medical examination in the United Kingdom.

“The said David Nwamini Ukpo is presently in care in the custody of British Authorities and he cannot be accessed by the applicants.

“The documents being sought to be handed over to the applicants will support the applicants in their defense and establish their innocence of the charges brought against them”.

Ekweremadu’s elder brother, Bright, who deposed to the affidavit, told the court that Ukpo had informed the detained couple that he was 21 years old and expressed his willingness to help their daughter, Sonia.