Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, says her acquittal on bribery charges has brought an end to years of “unjust vilification”.
Alison-Madueke was acquitted by the Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom (UK), of all six charges after hours of deliberation on Wednesday.
The former minister’s bribery allegations began when she was first arrested in London in October 2015, just months after leaving office as a cabinet member, but she was later released on bail.
Diezani’s trial began in January after UK prosecutors charged her in August 2023 over an alleged £100,000 bribe. Prosecutors accused her of receiving bribes in the form of luxury goods and access to high-value properties from oil industry figures in exchange for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts during her time in office.
However, Alison-Madueke’s counsel told the court that she had limited control over oil contract approvals during her tenure, adding that most decisions were made before they reached her desk.
Reacting to the verdict in a video message, the former minister expressed gratitude and reflected on the long legal battle, saying:
“I’m just thankful to God. It’s been a very, very arduous and long, almost 11 years. It’s been traumatic not just for me but for my family, for friends, for all those who have stayed and supported, for my 93-year-old mother in Port Harcourt, for my son, and for all those who love us, friends and family. We’re surrounded by friends here. So it has been a hard journey,” she said.
“But I tell you this, God will always do as God wills, and God will be God. God is not a man that he should lie. So when he promises you something, he will see it through. It has been almost 11 years I’ve been here. I did my job to the best of my ability, but like I said, God is not a man that he should lie. God is God, and we thank him.”
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Also, in a statement issued by Bolouere Opukiri, her representative, Alison-Madueke said a decade of public scrutiny has finally ended.
“I give thanks to Almighty God for His faithfulness and for the complete vindication I have received. I am grateful to my legal counsel for their diligence and to my family and friends for their steadfast support and encouragement throughout this period,” the statement reads.
“I am profoundly relieved. My name has been cleared, and this ordeal has come to an end.”
Alison-Madueke added that she would speak further about the past decade and her future plans in due course, while she focuses on what she described as her freedom after years of legal battles.