U.K.’s acquittal should not halt Diezani’s case, HEDA tells FG - The Guardian Nigeria News

Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has urged the Federal Government to ensure that the acquittal of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, by a United Kingdom court should not be interpreted as an end to corruption investigations, prosecutions and asset-recovery proceedings relating to her in Nigeria.

HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, said the June 17 verdict of the Southwark Crown Court Jury must be respected as a judicial decision concerning the specific bribery charges brought before the UK court, but does not automatically determine the outcome of separate proceedings and allegations being pursued under Nigerian law.

HEDA said the Federal Government of Nigeria must continue to pursue all legitimate aspects of the cases based on credible evidence, due process and the rule of law.

HEDA said its position was informed by its longstanding monitoring of the Diezani case, which it had documented in its Compendium of 100 High-Profile Corruption Cases. The organisation’s 2020 edition highlighted the difficulties surrounding efforts to bring Alison-Madueke before a Nigerian court, including an order directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce her for trial. Its subsequent publications also tracked forfeiture proceedings involving properties and other assets linked to the former minister, including her challenges to the EFCC’s efforts to dispose of forfeited assets.