A court in London has acquitted former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all bribery charges brought against her in a high-profile corruption trial.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on six counts, including five charges of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Alison-Madueke, 65, had consistently denied all allegations throughout the proceedings.
Prosecutors alleged that while serving as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, she received substantial benefits from oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria.
According to the prosecution, the former minister was provided with what was described as a “life of luxury” in London in exchange for influence over the award of energy contracts.
However, Alison-Madueke maintained that she neither accepted bribes nor possessed the authority to directly determine the allocation of government contracts.
After more than 46 hours of deliberation, the jury cleared her of all charges.
The acquittal marks the conclusion of a lengthy investigation by British authorities that began more than a decade ago.
Alison-Madueke also made history as the first woman to serve as president of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
The court also acquitted two co-defendants in the case.
Oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who faced charges relating to the alleged bribery of Alison-Madueke and a separate count of bribing a foreign public official, was found not guilty on all counts.
Similarly, Doye Agama, 69, Alison-Madueke’s brother, was cleared of a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery linked to payments allegedly made to his church.
The verdict brings to a close one of the most closely watched corruption cases involving a former senior Nigerian government official in the United Kingdom.
No immediate reaction was available from British prosecutors following the judgment.
The case had attracted significant attention in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom because of its implications for international anti-corruption efforts and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
