After years of allegations, accusations and closely-monitored trial, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, is finally free.
The former powerbroker during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was, on Wednesday, cleared of all six bribery-related charges by a UK court.
The legal clearance came after a lengthy trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.
A jury returned a not-guilty verdict after 12 weeks of hearings and about 46 hours of deliberation, acquitting the former minister of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
She left Nigeria for UK shortly before the late General Muhammadu Buhari succeeded Jonathan in 2015.
It is strongly believed she left to avoid prosecution.
Alison-Madueke, who served between 2010 and 2015, consistently denied all allegations throughout the proceedings.
Prosecutors had accused the former minister
of receiving illicit benefits from oil and gas industry figures in exchange for facilitating favourable contract decisions in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector when she was in charge of the petroleum ministry.
They alleged that she lived an extravagant lifestyle in London and benefitted from cash gifts, luxury shopping, private jet travel, chauffeur-driven vehicles and high-end property improvements.
The prosecution told the court that the alleged benefits included about £100,000 in cash, more than £2 million spent at Harrods, around £4.6 million in property refurbishments, and payments covering household staff for luxury residences in London and Buckinghamshire.
She, however, denied all wrongdoings, telling the court that she never requested, solicited or received any bribes.
Her lawyers argued that the allegations were based on misinterpretations of financial transactions and that the case was influenced by political motivations. They maintained that no direct evidence linked her to any bribery agreement.
The case was presided over by Justice Justine Thornton and focused on alleged offences said to have occurred between 2011 and 2015, during her time as minister.
If convicted, Alison-Madueke faced up to 10 years in prison under the UK Bribery Act, alongside unlimited financial penalties.
She was tried alongside oil executive, Olatimbo Ayinde, and her brother, Doye Agama, who also faced related bribery and conspiracy charges.
Both co-defendants denied the allegations and were equally acquitted.
