Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) Monday sought and got the approval of a London court to legally confiscate cash seized from Nigeria’s former Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke and four others, who were arrested, detained and later granted bail on Friday by the agency on allegations of bribery and money laundering. This is a confirmation of our report that the NCA will begin prosecution process today.

The order to seize the cash, the amount which is not yet declared by the NCA is a preliminary step in what promises to be a feisty legal fireworks in the UK court.

The NCA filed the application at the Westminster Magistrates Court and its request was approved under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The Court said no formal charges have been filed against Deziani and the others who are yet to be identified publicly.

The International Corruption Unit (ICU) investigates:

• Bribery of foreign public officials by individuals or companies from the UK; and
• Money laundering by corrupt foreign officials and their associates.

The ICU will also:

• Trace and recover the proceeds of international corruption;
• Support foreign law enforcement agencies with international anti-corruption investigations;
• Engage with government and business to reduce the UK’s exposure to the proceeds of corruption; and
• Work with business to support increased compliance with the Bribery Act 2010

The ICU draws on the specialist support available to it within the NCA, and works closely with other UK law enforcement agencies and overseas partners.

In line with the UK Anti-Corruption Plan, the ICU replaces the MPS Proceeds of Corruption Unit and the City of London Police Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit.