UK Court Clears Diezani Alison-Madueke of Corruption Charges

A United Kingdom court on Wednesday acquitted former Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke in what was considered an uncommon corruption case involving a prominent ex-energy official.

A London jury at Southwark Crown Court acquitted her of all six bribery charges.

Alison-Madueke, minister for petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-president Goodluck Jonathan, stood trial ​charged with five counts of accepting bribes and a ​charge of conspiracy to commit bribery, which she denied.

Prosecutors ⁠alleged that the 65-year-old Alison-Madueke was given “a life of luxury” in London ​from oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria, ​which has long grappled with mismanagement and corruption.

But the former minister, who was also briefly president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, ​said she never took any bribes and had no real ​influence over the awarding of lucrative government contracts.

After a trial at London’s Southwark ‌Crown ⁠Court, Alison-Madueke was acquitted by a jury of all six charges she faced after more than 46 hours of deliberation.

The not guilty verdicts are a major blow to British authorities, which began their ​investigation into corruption ​allegations against Alison-Madueke ⁠more than a decade ago.

Alison-Madueke stood trial alongside oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who was ​charged with one count of bribery relating to ​Alison-Madueke ⁠and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.

Alison-Madueke’s brother Doye Agama, 69, was also charged with conspiracy to commit bribery ⁠with ​his sister relating to payments made to ​Agama’s church.

Both Ayinde and Agama denied the charges against them and were also ​acquitted by the jury.

Reuters