Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has pleaded not guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges in a London court, disputing claims she lived a luxury lifestyle funded by oil interests
Diezani Alison-Madueke Rejects Bribery Claims as High-Stakes London Trial Begins
Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Thursday pleaded not guilty before a London court to five counts of accepting bribes and one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery, as her long-running corruption trial formally opened at the Southwark Crown Court.
Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke, 65, lived what they described as “a life of luxury” while in the United Kingdom, claiming that influential figures within the oil and gas industry provided her with access to high-end properties and expensive gifts in an effort to influence the award of lucrative oil contracts during her tenure in office.
According to the prosecution, these alleged benefits formed part of inducements designed to secure favourable treatment within Nigeria’s petroleum sector at the time.
However, Alison-Madueke’s defence team strongly rejected the allegations.
Addressing the jury, her counsel, Jonathan Laidlaw, argued that any purchases made on her behalf were necessitated by Nigerian regulations that prohibit serving ministers from operating foreign bank accounts.
Laidlaw further told the court that Alison-Madueke disputes both the scale of the properties allegedly placed at her disposal and the value of the goods she is said to have received.
According to the defence, all personal expenses incurred on Alison-Madueke’s behalf were fully reimbursed by her in Nigeria, while costs associated with official duties were refunded through appropriate government channels.
These arrangements, Laidlaw argued, meant that Alison-Madueke derived no personal financial benefit, directly challenging the prosecution’s assertion that she gained from illicit inducements while serving as Nigeria’s petroleum minister.
The trial is expected to continue in the coming weeks, with further evidence to be presented by both the prosecution and the defence as the court examines the nature of the alleged benefits and the circumstances under which they were provided.
