17.6.2026
Former Nigerian minister of petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke Wednesday heaved a sigh of relief after a London court found her not guilty of corruption charges.
Alison-Madueke who served during the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010-2015 faced a six count corruption charges at the at Southwark Crown Court, London
Prosecutors alleged Alison-Madueke, 65, was given “a life of luxury” in London from oil and gas industry figures seeking lucrative contracts in Nigeria, which has long grappled with mismanagement and corruption.
But the former minister, who also briefly served as president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and had long faced allegations of corruption, said she never took any bribes and had no real influence over the awarding of contracts.
Her lawyers argued the spending cited by the prosecution was reimbursed, by the Nigerian state for official business or Alison-Madueke herself for personal expenses, and she gave evidence that she was thought of as “Madame Due Process”.
After 46 hours of jury deliberations Alison-Madueke was acquitted.
Alison-Madueke’s lawyer said in a statement that she was grateful to the jury, having “unnecessarily endured the ordeal of being separated from her family over 11 years”.
“She is finally allowed to resume her private and public life with her reputation restored and enhanced,” the statement said. With Reuters reports