BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of all bribery allegations by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London, bringing an end to a legal battle that lasted more than a decade.
The jury returned not-guilty verdicts on all six charges against her, including allegations of receiving improper benefits and participating in a bribery arrangement.
The decision followed more than 46 hours of deliberations and marked the conclusion of an investigation that spanned over 11 years.
The verdict represents a setback for British prosecutors and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which had pursued the case for several years.
Prosecutors had alleged that Alison-Madueke received expensive gifts, luxury travel and other benefits from business figures connected to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry in exchange for influence.
However, the former minister consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting that she never accepted unlawful inducements or used her position to favour individuals or companies.
During her testimony, she stated that many of the meetings and travel arrangements referenced during the trial were organised by others and not initiated by her. She also told the court that cancer treatment affected her recollection of certain events.
Alison-Madueke further argued that official logistics, including travel and accommodation arrangements, were handled by government agencies such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). With the jury dismissing all charges, the high-profile case has now formally come to an end.
