Diezani Alison-Madueke: Former Nigerian oil minister who stayed in £2.8m central London home cleared of bribery charges
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has confirmed that Nigeria’s former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of five bribery and one bribery conspiracy charges.
The 65-year-old has consistently denied allegations that he was living a “luxury life” in the UK, with properties allegedly financed and renovated by energy industry luminaries in exchange for government contracts in Nigeria.
Ms Alison-Madueke, who served as Minister for Petroleum Resources from April 2010 to May 2015, was accused of taking £100,000 in cash.
Other allegations suggested that he had access to a private jet and a chauffeur-driven car during his time in the UK, as well as the use of household staff such as cleaners, nannies, gardeners and window cleaners.
Those accused of bribing him were also said to have financed his lavish shopping spree by spending more than £2 million at high-end retailers such as Harrods.
Prosecutors say he stayed at properties including a “large” house in Buckinghamshire, a £2.8 million house in Marylebone in central London and multimillion-pound homes overlooking Regent’s Park, and allegedly benefited from renovations worth £4.6 million.
Those accused of bribing Alison-Madueke were also accused of financing other shopping activities, including £370,740 at Marylebone antiques dealer Vincenzo Caffarella and £117,224.33 at Mayfair fine china, silverware and glass retailer Thomas Goode.
On Wednesday the former minister was cleared of five charges of bribery and one of conspiracy to commit bribery after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.
The NCA, which is leading the investigation into Ms Alison-Madueke, said it respected the jury’s decision but had no further comment.
While Ms. Alison-Madueke was part of the Nigerian government, she was under the supervision of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Corporation and Pipelines Product Marketing Corporation.
He has consistently denied wrongdoing and faces investigations in both the US and the UK.
Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, the owner of Nigerian oil companies, was also cleared of two bribery charges, while Alison-Madueke’s brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, was also cleared of conspiracy to bribery.
