Diezani Alison-Madueke Found Not Guilty on All Counts in UK Court

Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has been acquitted of all bribery charges by a London jury, bringing an end to one of the most closely watched corruption trials involving a former Nigerian public official.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court found Alison-Madueke not guilty on six charges, including five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The allegations centered on claims that she received benefits from individuals in the oil and gas industry in exchange for influence over lucrative Nigerian energy contracts during her tenure as petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015.

Alison-Madueke consistently denied the accusations throughout the trial, insisting that she neither sought nor accepted bribes and that she did not have the authority to award contracts directly. Her defense team argued that prosecutors had failed to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

The trial, which began in January and lasted several months, drew significant international attention due to Alison-Madueke’s prominence in the global energy sector. She served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan and became the first woman to lead the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Two co-defendants, oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, were also acquitted of related charges. The verdict followed more than 46 hours of jury deliberations.

The case had been pursued by Britain’s National Crime Agency and formed part of a wider international effort to investigate alleged corruption linked to Nigeria’s oil sector. The acquittal concludes a legal process that stretched over a decade after Alison-Madueke first came under scrutiny following her departure from office in 2015.

Following the verdict, her legal representatives said the decision had vindicated her and restored her reputation after years of legal battles and public allegations. British authorities had not immediately indicated whether any further action would be taken.