A former president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), who lives in London, has been charged with bribery offences stemming from her time as a Nigerian government minister.
Diezani Alison-Madueke, 63, was minister for petroleum resources under President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has led an investigation into Ms. Alison-Madueke, who lives in the affluent St John’s Wood district of central London, and the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised her to be charged under the Bribery Act.
In a press release, the NCA said she was suspected of taking bribes in exchange for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts during her time as minister for petroleum resources.
The NCA has frozen millions of pounds worth of assets as part of the investigation.
The NCA said: “She is alleged to have benefited from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, luxury holidays for her family, and the use of multiple London properties.”
The charges against her also claim she was rewarded with furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, had private school fees paid, and received gifts such as Cartier jewellery and Louis Vuitton handbags.
Female Pioneer in Oil Industry
She rose up through the oil company Shell in Nigeria in the 1990s and became the Anglo-Dutch company’s first female executive director in 2006. She also made history as OPEC’s first female president and Nigeria’s first female minister for petroleum resources.Andy Kelly, Head of the NCA’s International Corruption Unit, said: “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million pound contracts.”
He said: “These charges are a milestone in what has been a thorough and complex international investigation.”
“Bribery is a pervasive form of corruption, which enables serious criminality and can have devastating consequences for developing countries. We will continue to work with partners here and overseas to tackle the threat,” Mr. Kelly added.
The NCA said it had also provided evidence to the U.S. Department of Justice in March which, “enabled them to recover assets totalling $53.1 million.”
The NCA said it had been working closely with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria and with the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre, which is based in London and investigates “corruption involving politically exposed people.”
CPS Says she has ‘Right to Fair Trial’
“Criminal proceedings against Ms Alison-Madueke are active and she has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in any way prejudice these proceedings,” Mr. Penhale added.In 2012 James Ibori, the former governor of Nigeria’s Delta state, was jailed for 13 years after he pleaded guilty to 10 charges relating to the misappropriation of public funds during his two terms in office.
Mr. Ibori, who had spent time in custody in the United Arab Emirates, was freed from prison in 2016 and returned to Nigeria the following year but £46 million of his assets were identified and confiscated.
