By Desmond Davies
London, Aug 23, GNA – A former Minister for Petroleum Resources in Nigeria, Diezani Alison-Madueke, will appear at Westminster Magistrate Court in London, on October 2, to answer to charges of bribery.
She was a key figure in the Nigerian government between 2010 and 2015, and served as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
She is now living in the North West London suburb of St John’s Wood.
Following a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation, Ms Alison-Madueke was said to have accepted bribes during her time in office in exchange for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts.
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 properties in London.
Her charges also detail financial rewards including furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from high-end designer shops such as Cartier jewellery and Louis Vuitton goods.
Andy Kelly, Head of the NCA’s International Corruption Unit (ICU), said: “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.
“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.
Assets worth millions of pounds relating to the alleged offences have already been frozen as part of the ongoing investigation.
In March this year, the NCA also provided evidence to the US Department of Justice that enabled it to recover assets totalling $53.1 million linked to Ms Alison-Madueke’s alleged corruption.
ICU officers have also worked closely with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria during the investigation, as well as the with the NCA-hosted International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC).
It brings together specialist anti-corruption investigators from agencies around the world to tackle allegations of corruption involving politically exposed people.
The IACCC is currently working in 37 different jurisdictions.
Andrew Penhale, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said that the decision to authorise the NCA to charge Ms Alison-Madueke with bribery offences was taken “after reviewing a file of evidence from the NCA relating to allegations of bribery in Nigeria”.
“Criminal proceedings against Ms Alison-Madueke are active and she has the right to a fair trial,” he said.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information, which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
GNA