British prosecutors have told a London court that Diezani Alison-Madueke, former Nigeria minister of petroleum resources, received luxury properties and high-value items as bribes from businessmen seeking oil contracts.
The allegations were presented on Tuesday before the Southwark Crown Court as the trial of the former minister continued in the United Kingdom.
Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside Olatimbo Ayinde, an oil executive, and Doye Agama, her brother, on five counts related to bribery. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Addressing the jury, Alexandra Healy, a British prosecutor, said Alison-Madueke lived an extravagant lifestyle in London, allegedly funded by individuals with interests in Nigeria’s oil sector.
According to the prosecution, the former minister was provided with access to high-end properties and luxury goods by business figures who believed she could use her position to influence the award of oil contracts.
Healy told the court that Kolawole Aluko, a Nigerian businessman named in one of the charges but not currently on trial, spent more than £2 million on luxury items for Alison-Madueke at Harrods, a renowned London department store.
The court also heard that Alison-Madueke and members of her family frequently stayed in a mansion outside London allegedly purchased by Aluko through a corporate entity for about £3.25 million. The prosecution said Aluko also covered the cost of utilities, staff salaries and renovations on the property.
However, Healy noted that there was no evidence that Alison-Madueke awarded oil contracts to unqualified individuals. She argued that while contracts may not have been improperly allocated, it was inappropriate for a public official to accept valuable gifts and benefits from people doing business with government-owned entities.
Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. She was also elected President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2014.
The trial continues.
