By Tunde Oyedoyin, London
The ongoing Old Bailey conspiracy trial of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Beatrice, his wife, their daughter, Sonia and Dr Obinna Obeta , enters the fourth week today. Though , it’s scheduled to last for seven weeks, it may not go that far and it may yet run its full course . As at Thursday, the judge was yet to give an order on some agreed facts between the Crown and the defence.
it’s scheduled to last for seven weeks, it may not go that far and it may yet run its full course . As at Thursday, the judge was yet to give an order on some agreed facts between the Crown and the defence.
Thus far, the Crown has been pushing their case and had called expert witnesses from the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead and two police detectives. Among others, a representative of the Human Tissue Authority had also been at the witness box on behalf of the Crown Prosecution.
Last week, the Crown’s main witness, David Nwamini, had his turn via video link and with an Ibo interpreter, beginning on Monday. It was to last two days, but went as far as Friday due to cross-examination by the defence barristers.
Led in his evidence by the prosecution’s Hugh Davies, (KC), Nwamini told the court on the opening day of his testimony, that when he went to the Police to report the case in May, he lied that he was 15 years because of frustration that he was to go back to Nigeria because he was no longer a suitable kidney donor for Sonia. While still being led in evidence, he said he lived in his village in Enugu till he was 15, when his uncle came and took him to Lagos to learn business. He said he did his apprenticeship for four years before being set up by the uncle.
Moreover, he told jurors he ran his own phone business for two years prior to coming over to the United Kingdom on February 20th.
Source: The Guardian
