In a recent interview with BBC, Sonia Ekweremadu, the daughter of embattled former deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice expressed feelings of guilt over her parents’ conviction in connection to her health condition. Both of her parents were convicted for their role in attempting to exploit a young Lagos street trader for his kidney.
Back in March 2023, a UK jury found Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and a doctor named Obinna Obeta guilty of criminal conspiracy to bring the 21-year-old to London under false pretenses. The young man had been falsely presented as Sonia’s cousin in an effort to convince doctors to perform an £80,000 private kidney transplant procedure at the Royal Free Hospital in London. As a result of their conviction, an Old Bailey Court sentenced Ike Ekweremadu to nine years and eight months in prison, Beatrice to four years and six months, and Obeta to a 10-year prison term.
Despite the conviction, Sonia, who is currently undergoing dialysis for her health condition, expressed support for her parents during the interview. Although she acknowledged understanding the court’s decision, she stated that she disagreed with the conviction from a personal perspective as their daughter. She and her siblings were surprised when the police arrived at their home to inform them of the charges against their parents.
Sonia, who was also on trial alongside her parents but was not convicted, described her health condition as Nephrotic syndrome, a type of kidney disorder that causes the body to excrete excessive protein in the urine. When asked about the young man who was to be her kidney donor, she claimed that she was not involved in the process, explaining that her family had handled all aspects of her medical care.
Sonia expressed feelings of guilt over the situation, stating, “I don’t think things will ever be the same; already I feel guilty because I feel all these happened because of me.” Despite the circumstances, she emphasized the importance of moving forward as a family and accepting the legal outcome.