The corruption trial of Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Nigerian minister of petroleum resources and the first woman to serve as president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is set to begin in London on Monday, January 26.
Alison-Madueke, 65, faces five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery in connection with her tenure as Nigeria’s oil minister between 2010 and 2015, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Prosecutors allege that she accepted “financial or other advantages” from individuals linked to two energy companies between 2011 and 2015. The alleged benefits include the use of several London properties, refurbishment work and staff costs at those properties, furniture, chauffeur-driven vehicles, a private jet flight to Nigeria, and £100,000 ($137,000) in cash.
Further charges allege that Alison-Madueke received additional bribes, including the payment of school fees for her son, luxury goods from high-end retailers such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton, and more private jet flights.
