Ekweremadu’s trial begins, jurors to be sworn in today

With every legal obstacle cleared, the last being Friday’s dismissal of his daughter, Sonia’s application to be excused from standing trial on the basis of being “medically unfit,” the conspiracy to harvest organ seven-week trial of former deputy senate president, IKe Ekweremadu , begins fully at the Old Bailey today.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator will stand trial alongside his wife, Beatrice, their daughter, Sonia and Dr Obinna Obeta . Though, on paper, the trial started last Tuesday, January 31st, but legal obstacles and accusations of “bad character ” and “issues of disclosure ” that one side of the bench made against the other on Tuesday caused delays. The coast became clear on Friday, when Justice Johnson threw out the application for Sonia to be excused from the trial on the basis of her thrice a week dialysis and the attendant psychological and mental burdens of the treatment.

More importantly, the jury that will determine the fate of Ekweremadu and his co-defendants were not appointed till Friday. Though the long list was whittled down to 20 on Thursday, it wasn’t until the barristers battled each other over Sonia’s application on Friday morning that the 14-man jury was eventually picked from the 20.

After their selection, the Judge warned them to “not research the story online” nor “read anything ” about it. In other words, their decision is expected to be based solely on what they’ll hear in court over the next seven weeks.

Meanwhile, The Guardian learnt that senator Ekweremadu didn’t take a bath for five days last week. He complained to a long time acquaintance of his during a phone call to the friend on Thursday evening. Ekweremadu told him by the “time they bring me to court in the morning ” and when he’s brought back to the prison in the evening, the “time has passed.” Ekweremadu has been in custody since being arrested with his wife at Heathrow Airport on June 23rd.

He was previously held at Wandsworth Prison, but has been relocated to His Majesty’s Prison at Belmarsh.