Ex-Minister Diezani Denies Bribery Charges In UK Court

Former Nigerian petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to multiple bribery charges as her trial opened at Southwark Crown Court in London, with prosecutors accusing her of funding a “life of luxury” through illicit payments.

British prosecutors told the court that Alison-Madueke, 65, accepted bribes between 2011 and 2015 while serving as Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

They alleged that individuals seeking lucrative oil and gas contracts with Nigeria’s state-owned oil company provided her with significant financial and other benefits in exchange for influence.

“She should not have accepted benefits from those doing extremely lucrative business with government-owned entities,” the prosecutor said.

According to the prosecution, the alleged inducements came from individuals linked to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical, firms that secured contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries.

The court heard that the alleged benefits included £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet flights, refurbishment work and staff costs at London properties, payment of school fees for her son, and luxury items from stores such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton.

Alison-Madueke, who also served as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from 2014 to 2015, has been linked to several legal cases globally, including in the United States.

In Nigeria, courts seized properties belonging to her worth several million dollars in 2017, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) still has pending cases against her.

She has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015 and was formally charged in 2023. She has consistently denied all allegations.

The UK National Crime Agency previously said it suspected the former minister had abused her office in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.

Two other defendants, Doye Agama, her brother, and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also standing trial on related bribery charges.

Trial judge Justine Thornton said she hoped the proceedings will conclude by April 24.