The prosecutor instead portrayed her as the “General” of a sprawling bribery operation in which oil executives allegedly showered her with luxury in exchange for access and influence.
The jury in the bribery trial of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Monday began deliberations after nearly four months of proceedings at London’s Southwark Crown Court, where prosecutors accused her of living a “life of luxury” funded by oil executives seeking lucrative contracts.
Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015 and was once President of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has pleaded not guilty to five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
The 65-year-old former minister is accused of receiving luxury benefits including high-end London properties, lavish shopping sprees, chauffeur-driven cars, private flights and other expensive gifts allegedly paid for by oil businessmen with interests in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
The jury was sent out shortly before 11:30am on Monday to consider verdicts on the eight charges facing Alison-Madueke and her co-defendants after months of dramatic testimony and damaging revelations in court.
