Organ harvesting: Ekweremadu’s daughter, Sonia breaks silence after UK court sentenced parents to jail terms

25-year-old daughter Sonia, daughter of a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said she felt guilty that her parents are jailed because of her over an organ-harvesting plot suit in the United Kingdom.

NewsClick Nigeria had reported that 60-year-old Ekweremadu was on Friday sentenced to a total of nine years and eight months imprisonment, while his 56-year-old wife, Beatrice, was sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment for plotting to harvest a 21-year-old Lagos street trader, David Nwamini’s kidney.

The third accomplice, a medical doctor, Dr Obinna Obeta, was jailed for 10 years. Ekweremadu, and his wife Beatrice, wanted a new kidney for Sonia.

Speaking with BBC after the court judgement on Friday, Sonia said she felt guilty about the whole situation.

“I don’t think it will ever be the same again. And obviously, I feel guilty because I feel like all these have happened because of me,” she said while holding back tears.

On how her parents have handled their current reality, Sonia, who admitted that she can’t speak about what they truly feel, said they are “quite calm”.

“They are quite calm, surprisingly. But I can’t really speak about what they are feeling. This is just from an outside perspective of me seeing them. They are okay, they are just neutral,” Sonia said.

On what she has learnt over the whole saga, Sonia said, “Life is just some dynamic. Like you’re one day in your house chilling and the next day your whole life is turned around, upside down.”

She added, “It’s sad. It’s been really hard to wrap my head around it. I understand the conviction. Personally, I disagree with it; however, that’s from a very biased perspective as their daughter, and I would obviously back my parents.

“However, the law has taken its course, and we just have to now move forward as a family.”

Asked about what she would be doing next, Sonia said, “My main focus is to try to help, specifically people with kidney conditions. This is just to show them they don’t need to be scared.

“I will continue to support my parents and siblings as well.”