Just In: UK police charge Diezani Madueke with bribery

According to Reuters, British police announced on Tuesday that they had accused Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, with bribery crimes. They claimed they suspected she had accepted bribes in exchange for approving multimillion-pound oil and gas contracts.

In the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Alison-Madueke, 63, played a significant role as the minister of petroleum resources from 2010 to 2015.

Additionally, she presided over the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

“We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.

“These charges are a milestone in what has been a thorough and complex international investigation,” said Andy Kelly, Head of the National Crime Agency’s International Corruption Unit.

According to the NCA, Alison-Madueke was accused of receiving at least 100,000 pounds in cash, a fleet of chauffeur-driven cars, private jet travel, opulent vacations for her family, and access to numerous houses in London.

According to the NCA, the charges against her also include financial benefits such as furnishings, employees for property renovations, payment of private school tuition, and gifts from upscale luxury stores including Louis Vuitton products and Cartier jewels.

She currently resides in the affluent West London neighbourhood of St. John's Wood, according to British police, and will make her court appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court on October 2, 2023.

According to The PUNCH, Alison-Madueke has been the subject of numerous corruption claims but has always denied them. She is currently the subject of an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

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