Diezani Alison-Madueke’s Corruption Trial Begins in London

 

Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Nigerian minister of petroleum resources and immediate past president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is scheduled to appear before a London court on Monday as her long-awaited corruption trial formally begins.

The opening stage of the trial will take place this week, starting with preliminary proceedings such as technical matters and jury selection. These steps mark the first substantive courtroom phase of a case that has lasted almost a decade.

Advertisement

Alison-Madueke was physically present in court last week as the process commenced, ahead of the full trial during which extensive evidence is expected to be presented.

The 65-year-old, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, is facing six counts of bribery linked to her time in office. She has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Alison-Madueke made history as Nigeria’s first female petroleum minister and the first woman to serve as OPEC president. However, her tenure has been overshadowed by corruption allegations both within Nigeria and abroad since she left office in 2015.

Advertisement

She was first arrested by British authorities in London in October 2015 as part of a major corruption investigation and has remained on bail since then while inquiries continued.

In 2023, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) formally charged Alison-Madueke, alleging that she accepted bribes between 2011 and 2015, a period when she wielded significant influence over Nigeria’s oil sector.

At the time, the NCA said it suspected that Alison-Madueke “abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts”.

Advertisement

Prosecutors allege that she benefitted from at least £100,000 in cash, alongside other luxury advantages, including chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet flights and the use of high-end properties in London.

The charges also accuse her of receiving luxury furniture, funding for property renovations, household staff services, private school fees, and expensive designer items, including gifts from brands such as Louis Vuitton.

The prosecution is expected to argue that these benefits were bribes exchanged for influence over oil contracts and strategic decisions within Nigeria’s petroleum sector, which controls billions of dollars in annual revenue.

The trial is expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks, with the court set to hear from multiple witnesses and review financial records, property transactions and other evidence linked to the alleged bribery scheme.

Two other defendants are standing trial alongside Alison-Madueke. Doye Agama, who appeared via video link, and Olatimbo Ayinde, who was present in court, are also facing bribery charges related to the case.