A London jury has cleared former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all six bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday at Southwark Crown Court after jurors spent more than 46 hours considering the evidence presented during the trial, which began in January.
Alison-Madueke, 65, faced five charges of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. She denied every allegation throughout the proceedings.
Her acquittal is a major setback for British investigators, who began examining corruption claims linked to the former minister more than a decade ago.
Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan. She was the first woman to hold the position and later briefly served as president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
During the trial, British prosecutors alleged that business figures in the oil and gas industry provided her with expensive benefits while seeking access to profitable contracts in Nigeria.
The prosecution claimed that she enjoyed what it described as a luxurious lifestyle in London because of gifts and spending by people connected to the energy sector.
However, Alison-Madueke told the court that she never accepted bribes and did not control the process through which contracts were awarded.
Her legal team argued that many of the expenses mentioned by prosecutors had either been refunded by Alison-Madueke or covered by the Nigerian government because they were linked to official duties.
The defence also said she had built a reputation for following proper procedures while in office. During her testimony, Alison-Madueke said some people referred to her as “Madame Due Process”.
British prosecutors did not claim that they had direct evidence showing she awarded contracts to unqualified companies or individuals. Their case focused mainly on whether it was improper for her to receive benefits from people operating in the sector she supervised.
After hearing arguments from both sides and reviewing the evidence, the jury found her not guilty on all six counts.
In a statement issued after the verdict, Alison-Madueke’s lawyer said the former minister was grateful to the jury.
The statement said she had endured more than 11 years of separation from her family because of the case and could now return to her private and public life.
Her lawyer added that the verdict had restored her reputation.
The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency did not immediately comment on the outcome.
Two Co-Defendants Also Acquitted
Two other defendants tried alongside Alison-Madueke were also cleared.
Oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, faced one charge of bribery connected to Alison-Madueke and another charge involving the alleged bribery of a foreign public official.
Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, 69, was accused of conspiring with her to commit bribery. The charge concerned payments allegedly made to a church linked to Agama.
Both men denied the allegations, and the jury found them not guilty.
Years of International Allegations
Alison-Madueke has faced corruption allegations in several countries since leaving office in 2015.
During her years in government, she survived several controversies and investigations involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, now known as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
United States authorities also previously alleged that proceeds from improperly awarded Nigerian oil contracts were moved through the American financial system.
In 2017, the United States Department of Justice claimed that Alison-Madueke used her influence to direct valuable oil contracts to senior industry executives who had provided benefits to her.
However, the London case ended without a conviction against her or the two other defendants.
The acquittals close one of the most closely watched foreign corruption trials involving a former Nigerian public official.
While the verdict does not automatically end every allegation or legal matter previously linked to Alison-Madueke in other countries, it clears her of all charges presented in this particular British trial.
