Former Deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, was, again, remanded in police custody, yesterday, by the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, in the UK, following insistence by the prosecutor that the alleged kidney donor, David Nwamini, was 15 years old.
He will next appear at Westminster Magistrates' court on 7 July.
No bail application was made and Mr Ekweremadu will remain in custody.
Part of the alleged offence was committed abroad and as a result the consent of the attorney general is required for the case to continue.
He faces a charge of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person for exploitation under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Mr Ekweremadu's wife Beatrice, 55, is charged with arranging or facilitating the travel of another person for exploitation and will appear in court later due to a delay in her transport from prison.
Earlier this week the Nigerian Immigration Authority denied the victim was a child.
The comptroller general, Idriss Jerre, said the victim's birth certificate and National Identity Number, which were presented during registration for his passport, showed that he was 21 years old.
In response the Metropolitan Police said the child was 15.
The report further added that because part of the alleged offence was committed outside of the United Kingdom, the consent of the attorney general was required for the case to continue.
Ekweremadu faces a charge of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person for exploitation, under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Beatrice, 55, according to the report, will appear in court later, due to a delay in her transport from prison.
On Wednesday, Ahmad Lawan, Senate President, had said the Senate would dispatch a delegation to the UK to see Ekweremadu and his wife.
“The High Commission has done so much, but we still expect that it will continue to provide consular service. And we have also mandated our committee on Foreign Affairs to engage with the British Commission here in Nigeria to find more details on this case, as far as the high delegation is involved.
“There will be a delegation to London to see the former deputy Senate president. A delegation from the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs will leave in the next two days to London for that purpose,” Lawan had said.
Also, yesterday, Enugu State government expressed deep concern over the ordeal of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, in the United Kingdom.
A statement by the government described Senator Ekweremadu as an illustrious son of the state and a foremost senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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