A high-profile bribery trial unfolding at London’s Southwark Crown Court has seen core figures, including former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, firmly reject all allegations of corruption laid out by prosecutors. The 65-year-old ex-cabinet member faces six total charges: five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, all of which she has unreservedly denied.
Prosecutors claim that a network of oil industry insiders bankrolled Alison-Madueke’s extravagant lifestyle, footing the bill for luxury shopping sprees, high-end private property stays, private jet travel, and chauffeured vehicles during her tenure in office from 2010 to 2015. None of the unindicted industry figures at the center of the prosecution’s allegations have appeared in court during the proceedings, but their pre-trial statements to UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) were formally read into the court record this week.
Ghanaian oil executive Kevin Okyere, CEO of multiple energy firms, told NCA investigators in a 2016 statement that the only payment he ever made on Alison-Madueke’s behalf was a £3,900 shopping bill at London’s Peter Jones department store, a spontaneous gesture when the pair ran into each other at checkout and she found herself short of funds. Okyere confirmed that the full amount was later repaid to him in cash at his Abuja office, and called the bribery claim against him “completely untrue”.
Nigerian oil tycoon Igho Sanomi echoed these denials in a 2017 statement to the NCA. He explained that he occasionally purchased goods for Alison-Madueke in London because accessing foreign currency for large purchases was notoriously difficult in Nigeria at the time, and every single transaction was fully reimbursed. Sanomi added that his companies always won government oil contracts through fair, competitive bidding, and that neither Alison-Madueke nor any other official ever improperly influenced contract allocations to his businesses.
A statement from former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, who appointed Alison-Madueke to the cabinet in 2010, was also presented to the court on Tuesday. Jonathan noted that it was common practice for third parties to cover temporary expenses for cabinet ministers during official overseas trips, and that all legitimate incidental support was properly documented and reimbursed where required. He also confirmed that he had personally approved Alison-Madueke’s use of private jets for some international travel, countering prosecution claims that these flights were unauthorised bribes.
Alison-Madueke wrapped up nearly 11 days of testimony earlier this week, pushing back aggressively against prosecution claims that she failed to produce proof of reimbursements for thousands of pounds in luxury shopping at Harrods and other high-end London retailers. She told the court that following her 2015 arrest, she has been barred from returning to Nigeria by UK authorities for a decade, and all her financial and personal documents were seized by Nigerian government officials. She accused the current Nigerian administration, which is politically opposed to the government she served under, of deliberately refusing to cooperate with her defense.
The former minister forcefully rejected claims she lied about receiving improper benefits from oil executives. “At no time did I do anything to influence or show favour to anyone,” she told the court. During six days of cross-examination by lead prosecutor Alexandra Healy KC, Healy walked Alison-Madueke through a long list of luxury goods, including designer Gucci handbags and high-end home furniture, that prosecutors allege were gifted to her as bribes. In one 2013 incident, prosecutors claim £170,000 worth of antiques and decorative items including Venetian lamps and vases were purchased for Alison-Madueke at a London dealer to furnish a private home she was building in Nigeria. Alison-Madueke countered that most of the items were not for her personal use, and argued that it was absurd to suggest she would risk her decades-long political career for luxury accessories and home decor. “I don’t think anyone would risk their career for furniture and handbags,” she said.
Three other co-defendants are standing trial alongside Alison-Madueke. Her 69-year-old brother Doye Agama, a former archbishop, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, which he denies, and the court confirmed he will not be giving evidence during the trial. 54-year-old oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde also denies one count of bribery linked to Alison-Madueke and a separate count of bribing a foreign public official. None of the co-defendants have entered guilty pleas. The trial is ongoing at Southwark Crown Court, with further proceedings expected in the coming weeks.