The corruption trial of Nigeria’s former Petroleum Minister, Diezani AlisonMadueke, continued yesterday in London, with jurors hearing fresh testimony about millions of pounds allegedly spent on luxury property refurbishments.
Proceedings at Southwark Crown Court shifted focus to a construction contractor linked to high-end London homes, as prosecutors worked to trace what they describe as a wider financial trail of benefits flowing through intermediaries.
The 65-year-old is accused of multiple bribery counts stemming from a years-long investigation. The alleged offences occurred between 2011 and 2015, when she was Nigeria’s oil minister but maintained a UK address.
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA), which targets international and serious and organised crime, has accused her of receiving bribes in Britain. Alison-Madueke is accused of accepting “financial or other advantages” from individuals linked to the Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups.
Both companies secured contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or its subsidiaries, according to the prosecution.
The former minister is also said to have received £100,000 ($137,000) in cash, chauffeurdriven cars, a private jet flight to Nigeria and refurbishment work and staff costs at several London properties.
Other counts allege she received school fees for her son, products from high-end shops such as London’s Harrods department store and Louis Vuitton, and further private jet flights.
President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015, Alison-Madueke has been involved in numerous legal cases around the world, including in the United States.
She has been on bail in Britain since she was first arrested in October 2015. In 2023, she was formally charged with accepting bribes, which she has denied.
