Former Nigerian Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has vehemently denied allegations of accepting bribes and abusing her office during a trial at Southwark Crown Court in London. The 65-year-old ex-minister told the court on Monday that she had "tried to push back on corruption" in a country long plagued by it and categorically stated she never asked for, took, or received bribes of any sort from businessmen allegedly involved in the case.
The prosecution's case centers on claims that Alison-Madueke was treated to luxury accommodations in the UK, including access to a "grand" home in Buckinghamshire, a £2.8 million property in Marylebone, and multi-million pound homes overlooking Regent's Park, along with allegedly benefiting from renovations valued at £4.6 million. Several Nigerian businessmen are said to have bankrolled extensive spending sprees, including over £2 million at high-end retailer Harrods.
In her defense, Alison-Madueke asserted that all costs for services provided during her official duties were later reimbursed by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). She explained that a service company was established in London to handle logistics because NNPC's financial structure was in disarray. "They paid for all my hotels, chauffeurs... to allow me to perform the job that I did," she testified, adding that she always sought to act impartially.
The court heard details of specific instances, such as a five-day stay over Christmas 2011 at a house in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, which Alison-Madueke said was arranged because her ex-husband required hospital treatment and could not return to Nigeria. She denied involvement in organizing this accommodation. Another visit, she claimed, lasted two weeks while she and 10-12 officials compiled a book praising the Nigerian president's advocacy for women's rights.
Regarding other properties, Alison-Madueke stated that one overlooking Regent's Park was used for "discreet" official meetings, while another she is accused of using was "completely gutted" for renovations and unusable when she saw it. She also addressed allegations about stays in St John's Wood apartments funded by Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko, suggesting this was a cost-effective alternative to £2,000-per-night suites at luxury hotels like the Savoy and Dorchester.
Alison-Madueke further testified that she was unaware at the time that one of her chauffeurs had delivered £100,000 in cash to her, insisting the money had nothing to do with her. She highlighted security challenges, describing Nigeria as a "very patriarchal society" where having a "woman sitting at the helm was a major no no," and revealed she faced "dire threats of kidnap" with family members having been seized.
The trial also shed light on her professional background, including her rapid rise at Shell, where she became the first senior female executive in its Nigerian operations despite personal reservations due to the company's treatment of her father, a tribal leader who once sued Shell over "apartheid practice in West Africa." She expressed discomfort with Shell's handling of oil spills in the Niger Delta, her family's region, believing the company hadn't done enough to address the devastation caused.
Alison-Madueke denies five counts of accepting bribes and one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery. Co-defendants include oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who denies one count of bribery and another of bribing a foreign public official, and her brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, who denies conspiracy to commit bribery. The trial continues, with proceedings ongoing at Southwark Crown Court.
Source: www.bbc.com