Following a six month trial, Diezani Alison-Madueke and Olatimbo Ayinde were cleared of bribery offences, in the UK’s largest ever bribery trial.
Diezani Alison-Madueke was the Nigerian Minister of Oil and first female Head of OPEC under President Goodluck Jonathan. She faced five charges of bribery, and an allegation of conspiracy to commit bribery, spanning a five-year period following an investigation that lasted 13 years. She was represented by Alistair Richardson, led by Jonathan Laidlaw KC, instructed by Mark Bowen of Shearman Bowen.
Olatimbo Ayinde is the Chairman of a group of oil companies. She faced an allegation of bribing Diezani Alison-Madueke, and of bribing a foreign public official. She was represented by Peter Ratliff, led by Jonathan Lennon KC, instructed by Aziz Rahman, Niall Hearty and Francesca Cassidy-Taylor of Rahman Ravelli.
Archbishop Doye Agama, Dizani Alison-Madueke’s brother faced an allegation of conspiracy to commit bribery.
All three defendants were acquitted of all the allegations they faced.
