Former OPEC President Alison-Madueke Acquitted of Bribery Charges in UK Court

(CNA, London, 17th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) Diezani Alison-Madueke, who served as the first female president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and as Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Resources, was acquitted today in a bribery case in the United Kingdom.

According to AFP, defense lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw released a statement saying, "After a five-month trial at Southwark Crown Court in London, Diezani Alison-Madueke was today acquitted of all six bribery charges."

This case was brought by the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA), which combats serious organized and transnational crime, accusing her of involvement in related illicit activities between 2011 and 2015.

Alison-Madueke was accused of receiving "money or other benefits" from individuals related to two energy companies that were awarded contracts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation during her tenure as Nigeria's petroleum minister.

Prosecutors also alleged that she enjoyed a "lavish lifestyle" funded by beneficiaries of oil and gas contracts, including private cars and drivers, private jets, and the renovation and staffing costs for multiple properties in London.

In January of this year, Laidlaw told the jury that the long delay in bringing charges had caused a "vast amount of material that would have demonstrated her innocence" to be lost. He also stated that because Alison-Madueke's passport had been held by the British police since her first arrest 11 years ago, she was unable to access relevant documents at her residence in Nigeria.

Alison-Madueke served as OPEC President from 2014 to 2015 and was the organization's first female leader. In recent years, she has been involved in multiple legal cases in various countries, including the United States. (Translator: Shih Shih) 1150618