Former senator and media entrepreneur, Ben Murray-Bruce, has congratulated former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, following her acquittal on bribery charges by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London.
Murray-Bruce reacted to the verdict in a post on X on Wednesday, describing the judgment as a victory for the principles of justice and due process.
According to him, legal outcomes should be respected regardless of prevailing public opinion or political affiliations, stressing that the rule of law remains a cornerstone of every democratic society.
“Justice must always be celebrated, regardless of public opinion or political sentiment.
“I congratulate my sister, Diezani Alison-Madueke on her acquittal by a London jury after a lengthy legal process.
”The verdict is a reminder that in any democracy governed by the rule of law, every individual is entitled to the presumption of innocence and a fair triak, ” he said.
“May this bring closure to a chapter that has lasted more than a decade. My best wishes to her and her family,” he added.
The verdict followed the conclusion of a high-profile trial in the United Kingdom, where Alison-Madueke was cleared of all charges brought against her after years of legal proceedings.
The former minister, who served in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015, was found not guilty on five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Throughout the proceedings, Alison-Madueke consistently maintained her innocence and rejected all allegations levelled against her.
British prosecutors had alleged that she benefited from luxury properties and other high-value privileges provided by individuals connected to the oil and gas sector in exchange for influence over the awarding of major contracts in Nigeria.
However, the former minister denied receiving any bribes and insisted that she did not directly participate in the allocation of contracts.
The court’s decision brings to a close a legal battle that spanned more than a decade and attracted significant public attention both in Nigeria and abroad.
Following the acquittal, Alison-Madueke described the judgment as a complete vindication, saying the verdict ended years of intense scrutiny and personal hardship for her and her family.
The case remained one of the most closely followed legal proceedings involving a former Nigerian public official in the United Kingdom, with the outcome likely to generate continued debate within political and public circles.
