By Seyi Babalola
Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, appeared before the Westminster Magistrates Court in the UK on Monday about an alleged £100,000 bribe.
Michael Snow, the district judge, set Alison-Madueke’s bail at £70,000.
Alison-Madueke was also given additional conditions by Snow, such as an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, an electronic tag that she had to wear constantly, and a £70,000 bond that had to be paid before she was allowed to leave the courthouse.
She gave her name, birthdate, and residence when she appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court.
She did not formally enter a plea, but her lawyer, Mark Bowen, told the court that she will enter a not-guilty plea, according to Reuters.
On October 30, she will make her next court appearance at Southwark Crown Court, which handles severe criminal matters.
According to reports, the UK’s National Crime Agency stated in August that it believed Diezani had received bribes in exchange for receiving multimillion-dollar oil and gas contracts.
In a statement published on its website, NCA said Diezani “is alleged to have benefitted from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, luxury holidays for her family, and the use of multiple London properties.
“Her charges also detail financial rewards including furniture, renovation work and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from high-end designer shops such as Cartier jewellery and Louis Vuitton goods.”
In March 2023, the NCA also provided evidence to the US Department of justice that enabled them to recover assets totalling USD 53.1 million linked to Diezan’s alleged corruption.
Head of the NCA’s international corruption unit, Andy Kelly said the “charges are a milestone in what has been a thorough and complex international investigation. Bribery is a pervasive form of corruption, which enables serious criminality and can have devastating consequences for developing countries. We will continue to work with partners here and overseas to tackle the threat”, Kelly added.
In October 2015, Diezani and four other persons were arrested in the UK over alleged bribery and money laundering offences.
A magistrate court in the UK granted Diezani bail but her passport was seized while she was asked to report at the Charing Cross police station.
