Ekweremadu: List of Prominent Nigerian Politicians Jailed Abroad and Their Offences
- Former Deputy-Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu is not the first prominent Nigerian politician to be jailed in a foreign land
- James Ibori, Governor of Delta state from 1999 to 2007, was in 2012 sentenced to 13 years in prison for money laundering by a court in the United Kingdom (UK)
- Abidemi Rufai, a suspended aide of Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, was also sentenced by a US court to five years in prison for fraud
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FCT, Abuja - The jail sentence passed by a United Kingdom (UK) court on former Nigeria Deputy-Senate President Ike Ekweremadu on Friday, May 5, evoked strong social media conversation among Nigerians.
After almost 11 months of facing organ trafficking charges, Ike Ekweremadu; his wife, Beatrice; and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, received their years-long sentences at the Central Criminal Court.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng reports that the lawmaker is not the first prominent politician to be slammed with such verdict outside his homeland.
Find out more about Ekweremadu and others.
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Ike Ekweremadu
Ekweremadu, 60, is an indigene of Enugu State and was, until his sentencing, a serving member of the Nigerian Senate. He had been in the Red Chamber since Tuesday, June 3 2003.
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ekweremadu once served as the Deputy-Senate President in the National Assembly.
Before being a federal lawmaker, Ekweremadu was the Chairman of the Aninri Local Government Council in his home state.
James Ibori
Ibori is probably the one that comes to mind first when the name of an ex-convict Nigerian state official who served in a foreign land is quizzed.
A former Governor of Delta state, a position he occupied from 1999 when Nigeria returned to democratic rule until 29 May 2007, Ibori was sentenced to 13 years in prison for money laundering on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.
During his trial, the UK courts froze Ibori's assets, valued at about £17 million ($35 million), in early August 2007.
In an interview with CNN, Ibori denied allegations against him, claiming they were politically motivated.
He was later released from prison in December 2016 after a court order, meaning he served four years of the 13 years to which he was originally sentenced.
Abidemi Rufai
Abidemi Rufai was the Special Assistant to the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun.
He admitted a long history of using stolen identities to defraud United States (US) disaster programs, including aid for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and file fraudulent U.S. tax returns.
US authorities said Rufai used more than 20,000 stolen American identities for various cyber frauds.
Rufai, who was 45 at the time of arrest, was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
King Charles III told to intervene in Ekweremadu’s case
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Kayode Ajulo, a constitutional lawyer, wrote to King Charles III, the monarch of the United Kingdom (UK), pleading for a prerogative of mercy for Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, over their conviction by a UK court.
Ajulo made the plea in a letter to King Charles III on Saturday, May 6.
Lawyer reveals how FG can secure Ekweremadu’s release from UK prison
Legit.ng also reported that another Nigerian lawyer, Balogun Sofiyullahi, revealed that the convicted and sentenced Ike Ekweremadu and his wife could be released from prison in the UK and returned to Nigeria.
The couple is facing a combined 16 years prison sentence for the offence of organ trafficking that contravenes the statutory stipulations of the Modern Slavery Act of the UK.
Dokubo announces next action after Ekweremadu’s sentencing
Similarly, a former Niger Delta militant leader, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, described the UK’s sentencing of Ekweremadu as “the biggest disgrace that the black race has ever suffered”.
Speaking during a Facebook Live on Saturday, May 6, the activist lashed out at the kidney donor who he said caused the crisis. He labelled him as “a greedy Igbo boy”.
Source: Legit.ng
