Ekweremadu: Court to Decide Release of Ukpo’s Bio-data Dec. 5

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned till December 5, to decide whether or not to reverse its earlier order directing the release of the bio-data of an alleged organ harvesting victim, David Ukpo, to a London Court.

Justice Ekwo made the announcement, yesterday, shortly after lawyers to the detained former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Ukpo concluded their arguments on the merit and demerit of stopping the release.

Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice, are currently being tried by a London Court for allegedly trafficking a minor, Ukpo to the United Kingdom for the purpose of organ harvesting.

They, however, pleaded guilty to the offence and had approached the Federal High for an order directing relevant authorities to release documents containing the bio-data of the alleged victim to prove that he was not a minor as claimed.

But, while Mrs Ekweremadu, had since being admitted to bail by the London Court trying the matter, the former Deputy Senate President is still being kept in custody due to the gravity of the alleged offence.

Following the application, the court had on July 1 and 6, directed that the necessary documents be released to the authorities in the UK.

But, 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 bio-data to the Uxbridge Magistrate Court and the Central Criminal Court of the United Kingdom without his consent.

He said the entire proceedings that led to the order of the court were made in his absence and added that the documents so released to the UK Court were false.

Igbinedion told the court that since the bio-data information, bank mandate card and account opening package, application form for international passport and bank verification information were the subject matter of the originating motion filed by Ekweremadu and his wife, Ukpo ought to have been joined as a mandatory or necessary party.

He said the order made by the court was prejudicial to Ukpo, even as he said, the Attorney General of the Federation has no power, under the law to transmit personal and private data of a person to a foreign land.

He then urged the court to reverse its order permitting the release of his bio-data to Ekweremadu and his wife for their defence before Uxbridge Magistrate Court in London.

Ekweremadu, through his counsel, Eyitayo Fatogun (SAN), in his objection, asked the Court to dismiss Ukpo’s suit seeking to stop the release of his bio-data to the London Court.

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

In the counter affidavit deposed to by Bright Ekweremadu, immediate younger brother of Ekweremadu denied the allegations that he demanded Ukpo’s bio-data and averred that what the Federal High Court ordered to be released to London Court was Ukpo’s bank account opening package and the information supplied in his visa application request.

The senior lawyer, however, said, based on the July 1, 2022 order of the court, the required documents had since been transmitted to two different courts in the United Kingdom.

The senator averred that it was too late in the day for Ukpo to seek reversal of a valid order that had been executed to determine his real age only and prayed the court to dismiss the suit for being frivolous, abuse of court and lacking in merit having been overtaken by event.