Diezani Alison-Madueke acquitted of all bribery charges in London

bribery charges in London

By Onu Okorie

Former Nigerian petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke walked free from Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday after a jury cleared her of all six bribery-related charges, bringing an end to an investigation that has dogged her for more than a decade.

Jurors reached their verdict after more than 46 hours of deliberation following a trial that began in January. She had faced five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, allegations she had consistently denied. 

Speaking after the verdict, Alison-Madueke described the years since her arrest as an ordeal that has finally come to a close. “Today, a decade of unrelenting and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny has finally concluded,” she said in a statement, adding that she was giving thanks “for the complete vindication” she had received and crediting her legal team, family and friends for their support through the process. She said she was “profoundly relieved” that her name had been cleared, and indicated she intends to address the period “in greater detail” and outline her future plans at a later date — for now, she said, she simply wants to embrace freedom she feels was unjustly denied her for years.

Beyond the legal battle, Alison-Madueke remains a notable figure in Nigeria’s oil history. As the country’s first female petroleum minister, she pushed for a redrafted Petroleum Industry Bill that won approval from the Federal Executive Council, aimed at improving transparency and accountability at the NNPC and rebalancing Nigeria’s share of profits from deep offshore oil blocks. Her tenure also coincided with growth in domestic gas production and an expansion of the country’s oil and gas infrastructure, along with a higher profile for Nigeria’s energy sector on the world stage. She went on to serve as president of OPEC between 2014 and 2015, becoming the first woman to hold that post, before leaving government when Jonathan’s administration lost power in 2015.