Just In: Diezani Alison-Madueke Cleared Of All Bribery Charges After Decade-Long UK Probe

A London jury has acquitted former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all six bribery-related charges brought against her by British prosecutors, ending a high-profile corruption trial that lasted several years.

Alison-Madueke, 65, was found not guilty on Wednesday, June 17, at the Southwark Crown Court, where she faced five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery — allegations she consistently denied.

The verdict followed more than 46 hours of jury deliberation and represents a major setback for British authorities, who began investigating corruption allegations against the former minister more than a decade ago.

Prosecutors had alleged that Alison-Madueke lived a “life of luxury” in London funded by individuals in the oil and gas industry seeking influence and access to lucrative contracts in Nigeria.

However, the former minister maintained that she never accepted bribes and argued that she had no authority over the award of government contracts.

Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan and briefly became president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), was tried alongside two others.

Oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who faced bribery-related charges connected to Alison-Madueke, was also acquitted by the jury.

Her brother, Doye Agama, 69, who was accused of conspiracy to commit bribery over alleged payments linked to his church, was equally cleared after denying the allegations.

The acquittals bring to a close one of the most closely watched corruption trials involving a former Nigerian government official in the United Kingdom.