Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, made an appearance before the Westminster Magistrates Court in the United Kingdom on Monday, facing allegations of accepting a £100,000 bribe.
District Judge Michael Snow granted Alison-Madueke bail set at £70,000 and imposed additional conditions, including an 11 pm to 6 am curfew, mandatory electronic tagging, and the requirement to pay a £70,000 surety before leaving the court premises.
While she did not formally enter a plea, her attorney, Mark Bowen, informed the court that she intended to plead not guilty.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for October 30 at Southwark Crown Court, known for handling serious criminal cases.
In August, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed suspicions that Diezani had received bribes in exchange for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts. NCA detailed various benefits, including cash, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet flights, luxury family holidays, and the use of multiple London properties, as well as gifts from high-end designer shops.
Furthermore, in March 2023, the NCA provided evidence to the US Department of Justice, leading to the recovery of assets totaling USD 53.1 million linked to Diezani’s alleged corruption.
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The Head of the NCA’s international corruption unit, Andy Kelly, emphasized the significance of these charges in combating bribery as a pervasive form of corruption.
Diezani had previously faced arrest in the UK in October 2015, along with four others, over allegations of bribery and money laundering. While granted bail, her passport was confiscated, and she was required to report to the Charing Cross police station.
Diezani served as the Minister of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria from 2010 to 2015 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had accused her of embezzling $2.5 billion from the Nigerian government during her tenure.
