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Alleged corruption: Ijaw women seek fair hearing for Alison-Madueke
The trial of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, over corruption allegations, came to the fore in Abuja on Monday again as Ijaw women kicked against what they described as her “trial in the court of public opinion” while legal proceedings were ongoing.
The Ijaw women stated that while they would not defend the former minister over whatever offences Alison-Madueke might have been accused of, it was only fair to ask that the legal processes be followed through and a judgment be passed appropriately, as against the growing trend of public trial or “sensationalisation” of the issues in Nigeria.
The women, speaking under the aegis of Ijaw Women Advocates for Justice, told a news conference in Abuja that “justice must be done properly, lawfully and without prejudice.”
A former Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, who spoke on behalf of the women, explained that the group was not out to defend Alison-Madueke but rather to oppose condemning her before her court processes were concluded.
She stated, “We are not here to defend or condemn any individual. We are here to defend the principle.
“The ongoing proceedings in the United Kingdom must remain exactly what they are: a judicial process, not a public spectacle.
“We reject the growing tendency to try individuals in the court of public opinion while legal processes are still underway. That path undermines justice itself.
“Every individual, regardless of position, past office, or public perception is entitled to fair hearing, due process (and) the presumption of innocence. These are not privileges, they are rights.”
The Nigerian Tribune recalls that the former minister is currently facing a bribery trial at the Southwark Crown Court in London on six counts of bribery and “conspiracy to commit bribery.”
According to prosecutors from the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), she allegedly abused her official position between 2010 and 2015 to push huge oil and gas contracts to specific business interests in exchange for financial rewards and cash payments of about £100,000 ($137,000).
Other allegations included extensive shopping for luxury goods at high-end retailers like Harrods; the use of chauffeur-driven cars; private jet travel; the use of multiple luxury properties in London and Buckinghamshire, including funding for their maintenance and refurbishment.
When convicted under the United Kingdom’s (UK) anti-bribery law, the former minister is liable to a jail term of up to 10 years in addition to fines.
However, Alison-Madueke has pleaded not guilty to the charges in her court appearances so far.
Other notable names at the news conference were Dame Julie Donli, Princess Rosemary John-Oduone, Honourable Stella Ayamara Dorgu, and Chief Duenize Ogon.
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