Ekweremadu: Court hears motion against release of organ harvest victim’s biodata Sept 20
Ekweremadu: Court hears motion against release of organ harvest victim’s biodata Sept 20
A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed September 20 for a hearing of the fresh application by David Ukpo, the young man who the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice claimed offered to donate his kidney for their daughter.
Ukpo, in the application by his lawyer, Bamidele Igbinedion, wants the court to among others, set aside the orders it made on July 1 and 6, directing some agencies of government and banks to release his biodata to Ekweremadu and his wife.
Ukpo argued that granting the couple’s request for the release of his biodata without him being heard, violated his rights to a fair hearing and privacy, as guaranteed under Section 37 of the Constitution.
At the mention of the case on Tuesday, Ukpo’s lawyer, Ojonugwa Oguche told the court that he was served with a counter affidavit by the Ekweremadus shortly before the commencement of the proceedings.
Oguche sought time to be allowed to respond to the counter affidavit.
Lawyers to the respondents, including Eyitayo Falogun (SAN), who represented the Ekweremadus, did not oppose Oguche’s request.
Ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned till September 20 for hearing and ordered parties to file and exchange all necessary processes before the next adjourned date.
In the counter affidavit deposed to by Bright Ekweremadu, the Ekweremadus want the court to dismiss the application, arguing that Ukpo was not entitled to the reliefs sought as the law does not permit such.
Ekweremadu averred that though the court gave its rulings on July 1 and 6, 2022 Ukpo’s right to fair hearing was not breached.
He stated that the documents which the court ordered the agencies and banks to release have been transmitted to the UK and same had been “tendered at the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, and at the Central Criminal Court in the UK and have subsequently formed part of the record of the courts.
“The documents which are already in evidence before those Honourable Courts in the United Kingdom cannot be retrieved by this honourable court.
“The courts in the United Kingdom are already seized of the documents” and that he was in the last criminal proceeding where the documents were used,” he said.
Ekweremadu added that the documents were required to prove the actual age of Ukpo, who claimed to be 15 years of age, but believed to be well over 21 years of age.
He stated that if the applicant (Ukpo) had not lied about his age he has nothing to fear and the document would hear him out.
“That the orders of the Honourable Court made on the Ist and 6th of July, 2022 are the final orders of court,” he said.