The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has hailed the arraignment of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, at the Westminister’s Court in London, United Kingdom, over alleged bribery allegations.
It has been had reported that Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Monday, appeared in a London court over charges of receiving bribes in the form of cash, flights on private jets, luxury goods and the use of high-end properties in Britain in return for awarding oil contracts.
Prosecutor, Andy Young, alleged that Alison-Madueke, who was not asked to enter a plea, accepted a wide range of advantages in cash and in-kind from people who wanted to receive or continue to receive the award of oil contracts which were worth billions of dollars in total.
Reacting, EFCC, in a statement issued by its Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the charges preferred against Diezani at the London court are diametrically different from the 13-count charges bordering on money laundering the anti-graft agency had raised against her.
He said it is instructive to note that “criminality is criminality”, irrespective of jurisdictional differences.
“No crime can go unpunished. The money laundering charges for which Madueke is answerable to the EFCC, cover jurisdictions in Dubai, United Kingdom, United States of America and Nigeria,” he said.
Oyewale added that EFCC has obtained an arrest warrant and extradition proceedings have been initiated to bring the former Minister to trial in Nigeria.
“The Commission is on course on her trial. She will soon have her day in our courts.”
