Jury begins deliberation in Diezani Alison-Madueke’s London bribery trial

The jury in the London bribery trial involving former Nigerian Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has begun deliberations after nearly four months of proceedings at Southwark Crown Court.

According to Reuters, the jury retired shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Monday to consider verdicts on eight charges filed against Alison-Madueke and two other defendants.

Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Prosecutors alleged that the former minister, who also briefly served as president of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, lived an extravagant lifestyle in London funded by oil industry figures seeking favourable treatment in the award of lucrative contracts.

The prosecution claimed she was provided with luxury accommodation and taken on expensive shopping trips by businessmen connected to the oil and gas sector.

However, lawyers representing the former minister argued that she merely acted on official recommendations and functioned largely as a “rubber stamp” within government processes.

“At no time did I ask, take, or seek a bribe or bribes of any sort,” Alison-Madueke told the jury during her testimony last month.

Standing trial alongside her is oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who faces one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and another charge involving the bribery of a foreign public official.

Also charged is Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, who is accused of conspiracy to commit bribery linked to his church.

Both defendants have denied all allegations against them.

The trial, which commenced in late January, is now entering its final phase as the jury considers whether the prosecution has proven the charges beyond reasonable doubt.