File: Diezani Alison-Madueke

A London, United Kingdom court on Wednesday acquitted former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all six bribery charges brought against her by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.

Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015, had been standing trial at Southwark Crown Court on five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

The 65-year-old former minister denied all allegations throughout the proceedings.

Reuters stated that the prosecutors alleged that between 2011 and 2015, Alison-Madueke received various benefits and enjoyed what they described as “a life of luxury” funded by oil and gas industry figures seeking favourable treatment and lucrative contracts in Nigeria.