David Ukpo, Ekweremadu ‘kidney donor’ confessed to UK police he lied about being a minor – Olisa Metuh

By our reporter| David Ukpo, the Nigerian at the centre of the alleged organ harvesting case involving former deputy senate president Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, has “recanted,” Olisa Metuh, a former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said on Thursday.

Ekweremadu and his wife, are facing charges bordering on conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting of a “minor”.

However, in a ruling on Thursday, a Westminster magistrates court in the UK held that Ukpo is not a minor, and the case adjourned till August 4.

In an interview with ARISE TV shortly after Thursday’s proceeding, Metuh said Ukpo “recanted”, and told the police that he was not a minor.

He said, “The most important thing that we witnessed today is that the so-called minor recanted, and of his own free will, went to the police again and confessed that he’s not under 21; that means he’s not a minor.”

“And because of that, the judge struck out section 45, (which makes provisions for restrictions when reporting about “victims, witnesses and defendants under the age of 18 who appear in magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court”) so everything about the case can be open, since a minor is no more involved.”

Metuh further stated that the defence counsel informed the court that “there was no exploitation that was involved” in the case.

“We knew that the guy is more than 21 years and he’s going to be 22. We’ve always known that, but for him to have said that, it’s a good thing. So, we are happy about it,” he said.

“More importantly is the fact that the defence counsel had gotten up and said there was no exploitation that was involved. There was nothing at all. It is important that he stated that in court and Ike and his wife pleaded not guilty to all the charges.”