The bribery trial of former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke entered a dramatic third day at the Southwark Crown Court in London, dominated by explosive claims from the defence that critical evidence has vanished and that the prosecution may be politically motivated.
Led defence counsel Jonathan Laidlaw KC challenged the bias of the case, arguing that critical documents that could support Alison-Madueke’s defence disappeared from her Abuja offices, severely hampering her ability to respond to accusations.
He also questioned why the case was being tried before London jury, noting that none of the alleged payers of bribes have been changed or sought for extradiction in the UK.
The prosecution, led by Alexander Healy KC, continued to outline its case, asserting that Alison-Madueke used her position to accept luxury benefits including payments from industry figures seeking oil and gas contracts that amounted to improper financial advantages. Among the evidence presented were testimony and documents linking corporate payment cards to luxury shopping and high-value transactions.
Amid procedural developments, the court granted corrections to the indictment, including a revised figure on one of the alleged bribe counts.
The defence strategy portrays Alison-Madueke as a victim of lengthy delays noting that charges were only brought eight years after the initial investigation began, during which her passport was held and she was unable to return to Nigeria.
Laidlaw urged the jury to consider cultural and administrative differences in interpreting the evidence.
The high-profile case regarded as one of the most significant involving a former Nigerian official in a UK court continues amid broader scrutiny over alleged corruption in Nigeria ‘s oil sector and questions about the role of evidence, fairness, and political context.
-9News Nigeria
