A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has attributed her acquittal on corruption charges by the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom to God’s intervention.
A London jury on Wednesday acquitted and discharged the 65-year-old politician of a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery and five counts of accepting bribes after 46 hours of deliberation, ending a five-month proceedings against her.
In a statement issued after the verdict, Alison-Madueke said the ruling marked the end of what she described as 11 years of torment and unjust vilification directed at her and her family.
The statement read: “Today, at Southwark Crown Court, I was acquitted of all charges brought against me.
“For eleven arduous years, this matter has weighed heavily upon me and my family. Today, a decade of unrelenting and unjust vilification, condemnation, and scrutiny has finally concluded.
“I give thanks to Almighty God for His faithfulness and for the complete vindication I have received. I am grateful to my legal counsel for their diligence, and to my family and friends for their steadfast support and encouragement throughout this period.
“I am profoundly relieved. My name has been cleared, and this ordeal has come to an end.
“This, however, is not the final chapter. In due course, I shall address this difficult period in greater detail and share my intentions for the future. For now, I intend to embrace the freedom that has been unjustly denied me for many years.”
