Ex-Nigerian Minister Diezani Madueke To Appear Before UK Court Today Over Money Laundering

Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke is expected to appear before the Westminster Magistrate’s Court in London today, over money laundering and bribery charges.

She was first arraigned in the court last October but failed to appear before the court because she was reportedly diagnosed with cancer.

Alison-Madueke was arrested along with four others by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA). She was granted bail and told to come back today for a decision to be taken on the £27,000 seized cash and other charges made against her.

The court ruled in October 2015 that the cash can be held for six months before she is arraigned after investigations.
The court also granted the order that she should remain in London while investigations last.

The NCA, which leads the UK law enforcement’s fight to cut serious and organised crime, is working in league with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the probe of the former minister.

The NCA found some of the ex-minister’s brothers and other business partners complicit in the money laundering allegation. She was arrested with her brothers.

Messrs Abiye Agama and Somye Agama are Mrs Diezani siblings who operate some UK-based businesses hurriedly shut them after the NCA and the EFCC searchlight became intense.

The two brothers are directors of Hadley Petroleum Solutions Limited, a company the authorities believe was used for money laundering. The other directors are Ugonna Madueke and Abu Fari.

The company was registered in June 2013 in Manchester, but was dissolved less than two years later last February without filing any account.

Abiye, 33, a point man of the firm, is a computer engineer and manager. He was a director in 11 other companies. He resigned from seven of them.