Diezani Alison-Madueke
London’s Southwark Crown Court has acquitted the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke of six bribery charges after years of corruption trial in the United Kingdom.
Alison-Madueke, 65, was found not guilty on five counts of accepting bribes from persons connected to energy firms and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery while serving as the minister.
Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke was given preferential treatment in London by oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria, a country that has long struggled with corruption and mismanagement.
Alison-Madueke, who served as minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, was also a former President of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.
During the trials, Alison-Madueke denied the charges, saying that she never received any bribes and had no real influence over the award of government contracts.
Analysts frowned at the judgement, describing it as a setback for the British government despite the trial which lasted for years.
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