UK: Diezani Granted £70,000 Bail in Alleged £100,000 Bribery Trial

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, made her appearance before the Westminster Magistrates Court in the United Kingdom on Monday, facing charges related to an alleged £100,000 bribe.

District Judge Michael Snow presided over the hearing and granted Alison-Madueke a £70,000 bail. Alongside the bail, the judge imposed several conditions, including an 11 pm to 6 am curfew, mandatory wearing of an electronic tag, and the requirement to post a £70,000 surety before leaving the court premises.

While she did not formally enter a plea during the hearing, her attorney, Mark Bowen, informed the court that she would plead not guilty, according to Reuters.

Alison-Madueke’s next court appearance is scheduled at the Southwark Crown Court, which handles serious criminal cases, on October 30.

In August, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) publicly expressed suspicions that Diezani had accepted bribes in exchange for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts. The NCA revealed that Diezani “is alleged to have benefitted from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, luxury holidays for her family, and the use of multiple London properties.” The charges also included details of financial rewards such as furniture, renovation work, staff for the properties, private school fees, and gifts from high-end designer shops.

Earlier in March 2023, the NCA had provided evidence to the US Department of Justice, resulting in the recovery of assets totaling USD 53.1 million linked to Diezani’s alleged corruption.

Andy Kelly, the Head of the NCA’s international corruption unit, emphasized that these charges mark a significant milestone in a comprehensive international investigation. He pointed out that bribery fuels serious criminality and can have dire consequences for developing nations. Kelly reaffirmed the commitment to collaborate with partners, both domestically and abroad, to combat this threat.

Notably, Diezani and four others were arrested in the UK in October 2015 on charges of alleged bribery and money laundering. Although she was granted bail at that time, her passport was confiscated, and she was required to report to the Charing Cross police station.

Diezani Alison-Madueke served as the Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 during the administration of former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. Prior to the handover to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, she left the country. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria has also alleged that the former minister embezzled $2.5 billion from the Nigerian government during her tenure.