Court Sets Dec 5 To Rule On Victim’s Biodata Release

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 5 to deliver a ruling in an application filed by an alleged organ harvest victim, David Ukpo, seeking to stop the release of his biodata to a court in London, United Kingdom.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on Tuesday after taking arguments from counsels to Ukpo and a former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu.

He, however, said both parties in the suit may be recalled for an early date should the ruling be ready before the December 5 date.

Ukpo had through his counsel, Bamidele Igbinedion, prayed the court to set aside the July 1 order of the court which permitted the release of his personal information and biodata to the Uxbridge Magistrate Court and the Central Criminal Court of the United Kingdom, without giving him fair hearing by the court.

He said the entire proceedings that led to the order of the court were made in his absence, adding that the documents released to the London court were false.

The applicant stated that the order made by the court was prejudicial to him, even as he said the Attorney-General of the Federation had no power under the law to transmit personal and private data of a person to a foreign land.

In his objection, counsel to Senator Ekweremadu asked the court to dismiss Ukpo’s suit seeking to stop the release of his biodata to the London court.

He informed the court that Ukpo had no basis to entertain any fear in the release of the information he provided for his visa application and his bank account opening package, except if he had lied about his real age.

Senator Ekweremadu was detained alongside his wife over allegations of a plot to traffic a man into the UK to harvest a kidney for their daughter.

The couple who have since denied any wrongdoing were taken to detention after they were arrested at Heathrow Airport on June 21 after arriving on a flight from Turkey.

Following their arrest by the London Metropolitan Police, the duo appeared before a UK court which ordered that they should be remanded in custody.

While the Met police said the donor was 15, he was reported to have refused to consent to the procedure after undergoing tests at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north-west London.

But the Westminster Magistrates’ Court later ruled that the kidney donor was not a minor after confirming his age as 21, while Mrs Ekweremadu was released on bail.

(ChannelsTV)