By Charles Olewezi
Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of all bribery charges, following a London trial that lasted for five months.
Alison-Madueke was found not guilty on five counts of accepting bribes from people linked to energy firms and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery while in office by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday.
The jury deliberated for more than 46 hours before reaching their verdict.
Diezani, 65, was charged by the UK’s National Crime Agency in 2023 over allegations she took £100,000 in cash as well as accepting flights on private jets, chauffeur driven cars and luxury goods from Louis Vuitton and Harrods. As oil minister for Nigeria she held sway over the awarding of government contracts and she became the first female president of OPEC in 2014.
In her defense, Alison-Madueke said that there was a culture of gift giving in Nigeria that explained some of the services and items she was bought by executives. The jury was told that the former minister was the subject of a “major smear campaign” during her time in office by people who opposed reforms designed to increase competition in the sector.
“At no time did I ask, take or seek a bribe,” Diezani said during her testimony. “I always sought to act impartially in all that I did.”
Diezani’s brother, Doye Agama, was found not guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Olatimbo Ayinde, a Nigerian oil industry executive, was found not guilty of two bribery counts.