Ex Petroleum Minister Denies Charges In Court
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Who appeared in court was former Nigerian petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, who on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to several bribery charges as her trial began at Southwark Crown Court in London.
LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
Prosecutors allege the case centres on actions taken while she served under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT
What the prosecution is alleging is that Alison-Madueke accepted bribes between 2011 and 2015 in exchange for influence over oil and gas deals.
British prosecutors told the court she lived a “life of luxury” funded by improper payments from people seeking access to lucrative contracts with Nigeria’s state oil firm.
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Where the alleged benefits were said to come from was individuals connected to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups, companies that secured contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries.
The court was told the inducements included £100,000 in cash, luxury shopping, private flights, chauffeur-driven cars, property expenses in London and school fees for her son.
In Nigeria, courts seized properties linked to her in 2017, while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission still has unresolved cases against her.
The UK National Crime Agency previously said it suspected she had “abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.”
How the trial is expected to proceed was outlined by Trial Judge Justine Thornton, who said she hopes proceedings will end by April 24. Two other defendants, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also facing related bribery charges in the same case.
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