A court in the United Kingdom (UK) has granted bail to Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, with bail set at £70,000.
She is facing accusations of bribery violations totaling £100,000 as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Diezani Alison-Madueke held the position of Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
District Judge Michael Snow granted her bail but imposed additional restrictions due to concerns that she might attempt to flee. The NCA’s investigation centers on allegations that, while serving as Minister for Petroleum Resources, Alison-Madueke accepted bribes in exchange for the awarding of multimillion-pound oil and gas contracts.
Her attorney, Mark Bowen, informed the court that she would plead not guilty, although she was not required to do so at this stage.
Alison-Madueke is the second prominent Nigerian politician to face prosecution in the UK in recent years, following the conviction of former state governor James Ibori for fraud and money laundering in 2012, resulting in a 13-year prison sentence.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for October 30 at Southwark Crown Court, which handles serious criminal cases. As part of the ongoing investigation, assets linked to the alleged misconduct worth millions of pounds have already been frozen. Additionally, the NCA provided information to the US Department of Justice in March of this year, leading to the recovery of $53.1 million in assets associated with Alison-Madueke’s alleged wrongdoing.
Allegations against her include receiving at least £100,000 in cash, utilizing various London apartments, enjoying chauffeur-driven cars, private jet travel, and luxurious vacations for her family. The NCA statement outlined further financial rewards, including furniture, property renovation, staff for her properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from high-end designer shops such as Cartier and Louis Vuitton.
For the past eight years, Alison-Madueke has resided in St John’s Wood, an upscale London district, while on police bail. All the charges against her presented in court relate to purported incidents based in London.