A UK court has acquitted former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke of all bribery charges, delivering a setback to anti-corruption efforts. The jury at Southwark Crown Court found her not guilty of five bribery counts and one conspiracy charge related to alleged kickbacks between 2011 and 2015. UK authorities had pursued the case to demonstrate their commitment to tackling corruption on domestic soil.

Prosecutors claimed Alison-Madueke accepted luxury items including a £25,000 Chanel handbag and a £22,000 Alexander McQueen rug, along with payments for staff and property holdings in London. The trial featured allegations that oil executives paid for her lifestyle to secure government contracts. However, her legal team argued all expenses were legitimate loans to be repaid, and the former minister testified she was targeted due to her anti-corruption stance in Nigeria's oil sector.

The acquittals represent a significant loss for UK authorities, particularly the National Crime Agency, which invested over a decade in the investigation. Legal experts noted the case highlights the challenges of prosecuting high-level corruption involving foreign political figures. Alison-Madueke's co-defendants were also cleared, though several alleged accomplices never faced trial due to their absence from the UK.