A United Kingdom court on Wednesday acquitted Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all bribery charges.
After at least 46 hours of deliberations, jurors at Southwark Crown Court found her not guilty on all six counts, Reuters reported.
The court’s decision on Wednesday brings to a close one of the most closely watched international corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.
Recall that British prosecutors had dragged Alison-Madueke to London over five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Prosecutors alleged that Mrs. Alison-Madueke received lavish benefits and enjoyed what they described as “a life of luxury” in London, funded by oil and gas industry figures seeking favorable treatment and lucrative contracts in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
They argued that the benefits were provided in exchange for influence over government decisions and contract awards.
Alison-Madueke has repeatedly denied all the allegations.
She maintained throughout the trial that she neither accepted bribes nor exercised direct control over the award of government contracts.
