BREAKING: UK Court Clears Diezani Alison-Madueke of All Bribery Charges

Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke

BREAKING: UK Court Clears Diezani Alison-Madueke of All Bribery Charges

Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of all six bribery-related charges by a UK court after a lengthy trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.

A jury on Wednesday returned a not guilty verdict after 12 weeks of hearings and about 46 hours of deliberation, acquitting the former minister of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015, consistently denied all allegations throughout the proceedings.

Allegations Against Diezani

Prosecutors had accused the former minister of receiving illicit benefits from oil and gas industry figures in exchange for facilitating favourable contract decisions in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector during her tenure as petroleum minister.

They alleged that she lived an extravagant lifestyle in London and benefitted from cash gifts, luxury shopping, private jet travel, chauffeur-driven vehicles, and high-end property improvements.

The prosecution told the court that the alleged benefits included about £100,000 in cash, more than £2 million spent at Harrods, around £4.6 million in property refurbishments, and payments covering household staff for luxury residences in London and Buckinghamshire.

Defence Argument

Diezani, however, denied all wrongdoing, telling the court that she never requested, solicited, or received any bribes.

Her legal team argued that the allegations were based on misinterpretations of financial transactions and that the case was influenced by political motivations. They maintained that no direct evidence linked her to any bribery agreement.

Court Ruling

The case was presided over by Justice Justine Thornton and focused on alleged offences said to have occurred between 2011 and 2015, during her time as Nigeria’s petroleum minister.

If convicted, Alison-Madueke faced up to 10 years in prison under the UK Bribery Act, alongside unlimited financial penalties.

She was tried alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother Doye Agama, who also faced related bribery and conspiracy charges. Both co-defendants denied the allegations and were equally acquitted.

Significance of the Verdict

The ruling marks the end of a high-profile international corruption trial that had drawn significant attention across Nigeria and the United Kingdom due to its link to alleged misconduct in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

Legal observers say the acquittal may influence related asset recovery and corruption proceedings in other jurisdictions, although no further legal action has been confirmed.

Diezani has faced multiple corruption allegations since leaving office in 2015 but has consistently maintained her innocence.