By Adesina Soyooye
A former Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister, Dieziani Alison-Madueke, on Monday, January 19, appeared in a United Kingdom Court.
Her appearance is in preparation of her trial on alkeged corruption charges.
A woman of a couple of firsts, Alison-Madueke was the first female Executive Director of Shell Petroleum, the first woman to head the Petroleum Ministry in Nigeria, and the first woman to occupy the Presidency of the Organisation of Petroleum Ministry, OPEC.
The reason for which he appeared in Court in the UK on Monday is for a full trial on charges of alleged bribery in connection with her tenure as Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister.
Initial proceedings which include technical matters and jury selection, began this week, with her attendance according to an AFP report.
Alison-Madueke, 65, an estranged wife of a former Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Alison Madueke, was first arrested in London in 2015, a few months after her tenure as Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister. She has been on bail since then.
She faces six charges all of which she has denied.
The UK National Crime Agency formally charged Alison-Madueke in 2023 with offences which boarder on alleged acceptance of bribes between 2011 to 2015 when he was Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister.
Said the NCA: “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.”
Her indictment states that “Alison-Madueke benefitted from at least £100,000 ($134,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets and the use of multiple London properties.”
Detailed in the charges against her are also “financial rewards including furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees and gifts from top designer shops such as Louis Vuitton.”
The trial will begin on Monday, January 26 and is scheduled to last between 10 to 12 weeks.
She is being prosecuted alongside two others on bribery charges. They are Doye Agama, (allegedly her brother) who appeared in court via video link on Monday, and Olatimbo Ayinde, who was present.
She was first appointed Nigeria’s Minister for Solid Minerals before she was moved to the Petroleum Ministry both under the President Goodluck Jonathan Government. She has had a running battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since she left office.
A native of Bayelsa State, her marriage to Admiral Alison Madueke, a native of Enugu State, produced a son.
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