Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of all bribery allegations brought against her in the United Kingdom following a lengthy trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday after a jury unanimously found the former Nigerian minister not guilty on all six counts filed against her.
The case, which lasted 12 weeks, focused on allegations that Alison-Madueke accepted various benefits from individuals connected to the oil and gas industry while serving as Nigeria's petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015.
Jurors reportedly spent 46 hours deliberating before reaching their decision.
Prosecutors had alleged that the former minister received substantial financial benefits, luxury shopping expenses, property renovations, private travel arrangements, and other privileges in exchange for influence and favourable treatment relating to oil and gas business interests.
According to the prosecution, these benefits included cash payments, luxury purchases, property refurbishment costs, private jet services, chauffeur-driven transportation, and domestic staffing expenses at properties in the United Kingdom.
Throughout the proceedings, Alison-Madueke consistently denied any wrongdoing and maintained that she neither solicited nor accepted bribes while in public office.
Giving evidence during the trial, she rejected the allegations and insisted that she had acted lawfully throughout her tenure as minister.
Her defence team argued that the prosecution's case was based on incorrect interpretations of financial arrangements and benefits linked to her lifestyle and professional relationships.
The trial was presided over by Justice Justine Thornton and examined allegations said to have occurred between 2011 and 2015.
Had she been convicted under British anti-bribery legislation, Alison-Madueke faced a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years, alongside an unlimited financial penalty.
The former minister was not the only defendant in the case.
Oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde and Alison-Madueke's brother, Doye Agama, also stood trial on separate bribery-related allegations connected to the case.
Ayinde faced charges relating to alleged bribery involving Alison-Madueke and a foreign public official, while Agama was accused of participating in a conspiracy linked to alleged payments associated with his church.
Both men denied all accusations throughout the proceedings.
On Wednesday, the jury also returned not-guilty verdicts in favour of Ayinde and Agama, bringing the high-profile case to a close.
The outcome represents a significant legal victory for Alison-Madueke, whose tenure as petroleum minister has remained a subject of public interest both within Nigeria and internationally.
The verdict is expected to generate widespread reactions across political, legal, and energy sectors, given the prominence of the former minister and the scale of the allegations examined during the trial.
