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Ekweremadu’s Daughter Feels ‘Guilty’ Over Parents Conviction
If it was just me, it would have been easier to handle but seeing my parents in that situation was difficult.
The daughter of Nigeria’s former Senate President, Sonia Ekweremadu, has expressed sorrow and regret over her parents’ Friday sentence in the UK in an organ-harvesting plot suit.
Her father, Ike Ekweremadu, was sentenced to jail time on Friday.
Ekweremadu was given a total of nine years and eight months in jail, while his wife Beatrice received a four-year, six-month term for her role in a conspiracy to harvest a man’s kidney.
The third accomplice, a medical doctor, Dr Obinna Obeta, was jailed 10 years.
Sonia, when questioned on her feeling on the current situation, expressed guilt as she blamed herself for her parent’s predicament.
“Hearing that this is what I’m being arrested for was hard for me. If it was just me, it would have been easier to handle but seeing my parents in that situation was difficult.
“Things can’t go back to the way they were. I feel guilty because I feel like all this has happened because of me.”
However, she denied any involvement in the case as she claims to be unaware of her parents’ plans and methods to get her the kidney she so badly needs.
Sonia suffers from Nephrotic syndrome FSGS which causes her kidney to appear small in size and have holes in them.
“So it’s either I stay in dialysis all my life or I get a transplant. Those are my two options.”
However, Sonia, like her parents who she said are “quite calm” despite the situation, has decided to look ahead and focus on lending helping hands to others in the world who suffer from kidney diseases like herself.
“My new purpose is to help those who have kidney conditions. To show them that they don’t need to be scared.
Meanwhile, David Nwamini, the victim of Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s organ trafficking case, begged to stay and work in the UK out of concern that “they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria.”
He said, “He (Dr Obina Obeta) did not tell me he brought me here for this reason. He did not tell me anything about this.
“I would have not agreed to any of this. My body is not for sale.
“I worry for my safety in Nigeria. Those people can do anything. I think they could arrest me or kill me in Nigeria.”
In response to all accusations from Nwamini, Sonia stated, “I don’t feel anything towards him. I wish him all the best.”
