Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has been cleared of bribery charges following a high-profile trial at London’s Southwark Crown Court.
The 65-year-old was found not guilty of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The verdict brings to an end a lengthy legal battle that had been ongoing for more than a decade.
Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 and made history as the first female president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Prosecutors alleged that she accepted luxury benefits, including expensive accommodation and lavish shopping trips in the United Kingdom, from wealthy oil executives seeking influence. However, the jury ultimately acquitted her of all charges.
Also cleared were her brother, Doye Agama, who was acquitted of conspiracy to commit bribery, and oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who was found not guilty of bribery-related offences.
Throughout the trial, Alison-Madueke denied wrongdoing and insisted she never requested, accepted, or sought bribes. She argued that many allegations against her were unsupported and that evidence proving her innocence had not been presented.
Her legal team also questioned the lengthy delay in bringing the case to court and raised concerns about missing documents and the handling of evidence gathered during investigations in Nigeria.
The acquittal represents a significant setback for the UK’s National Crime Agency, which had spent 13 years investigating the case.
Following the verdict, Alison-Madueke said the ordeal had placed immense strain on her and her family and described the outcome as the end of an 11-year nightmare.
