The corruption trial of former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, will commence in London on Monday.
Alison-Madueke, 65, faces a six- count charge of bribery linked to her tenure as Minister of Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015 under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Prosecutors allege she received financial and material benefits from individuals tied to two energy companies between 2011 and 2015.
The alleged bribes included use and refurbishment of London properties, staff costs, luxury furniture, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet flights, and £100,000 in cash. Other charges claim she benefited from school fees for her son, designer goods from Harrods and Louis Vuitton, and additional private jet services.
According to the indictment, these benefits amounted to “improper performance” of her ministerial duties. Alison-Madueke appeared in court last week for preliminary hearings and jury selection. The trial is expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks. Two others, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also facing related bribery charges.
Alison-Madueke, who has been on bail since her arrest in London in 2015, denies the allegations. In 2023, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) formally charged her, stating: “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.” The NCA also provided evidence to US prosecutors, leading to the recovery of assets worth $53.1 million, including luxury real estate in California and New York, and a 65-metre superyacht, the Galactica Star.