FORMER Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been found not guilty of six bribery-related charges by a jury in London, bringing to a close a rare and closely watched corruption trial involving a high-profile former energy official.
News Point Nigeria reports that Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, stood trial on five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, all of which she consistently denied.
Prosecutors had alleged that the 65-year-old former minister enjoyed what they described as “a life of luxury” in London funded by oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria, a country that has long battled allegations of corruption and mismanagement in its energy sector.
However, Alison-Madueke maintained throughout the proceedings that she never accepted bribes and did not possess the level of influence alleged by prosecutors over the awarding of government contracts.
The former minister, who also briefly served as President of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, insisted that she had no role in improperly influencing contract awards in exchange for personal benefits.
After a trial at the Southwark Crown Court, the jury returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on all six charges after more than 46 hours of deliberations.
The verdict represents a significant setback for British authorities, who launched investigations into corruption allegations involving Alison-Madueke more than a decade ago.
News Point Nigeria reports that Alison-Madueke was not the only defendant in the case.
She stood trial alongside oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who faced one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and a separate count involving the alleged bribery of a foreign public official.
Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, 69, was also charged with conspiracy to commit bribery alongside his sister in relation to payments allegedly made to Agama’s church.
Both Ayinde and Agama denied all allegations brought against them.
Following deliberations, the jury also acquitted Ayinde and Agama of the charges they faced, bringing the lengthy case to an end with all three defendants cleared.
The acquittals mark a dramatic conclusion to one of the most prominent corruption trials involving a former Nigerian public official in a foreign jurisdiction and are expected to reignite debate over the long-running investigations and allegations that have surrounded Alison-Madueke since she left office in 2015.
News Point Nigeria reports that the case had attracted widespread attention in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom because of Alison-Madueke’s former position at the helm of Nigeria’s oil sector and her role within OPEC, making the verdict one of the most significant legal outcomes involving a former Nigerian government official in recent years.