Diezani Alison-Mandueke, the former Nigerian oil minister, denied allegations Monday that she accepted bribes in exchange for government contracts during her trial at Southwark Crown Court.
The 65-year-old former minister faces five counts of accepting bribes and one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery. Prosecutors allege she benefited from lavish spending sprees in the UK, including more than £2 million spent at Harrods and £4.6 million for home renovations.
Alison-Madueke testified that she never asked for or received any bribes and maintained she "always sought to act impartially." She argued that the costs for her hotels and chauffeurs were later reimbursed by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
Reimbursed expenses
According to the former minister, a service company was established in London to manage these logistics because the 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 told the court.
The prosecution presented evidence of high-end properties used by the former minister, including a £2.8 million home in Marylebone and residences overlooking Regent's Park. The court heard allegations that her extended family stayed in a Buckinghamshire home for five days during Christmas 2011.
Alison-Madueke testified she had no involvement in the arrangements for that specific stay. She also noted that another property used for official meetings was "completely gutted" for renovations and unusable when she arrived.
Regarding allegations that her rent in St John's Wood was covered by Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko, Alison-Madueke said she suggested the arrangement because it was cheaper than staying in expensive hotels like the Savoy. Aluko is one of several businessmen linked to the case who are not currently on trial.
Addressing a claim that a chauffeur delivered £100,000 in cash to her, the former minister stated she was unaware of the delivery at the time and that the money had nothing to do with her.
Alison-Madueke also discussed her professional history, noting her rise through the ranks at Shell despite personal reservations about the company's environmental impact in the Niger Delta. She described the security risks she faced in Nigeria, stating she was "under dire threats of kidnap."
Other defendants in the trial include oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who denies bribery charges, and Alison-Madueke's brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, who denies conspiracy to commit bribery. The trial is ongoing.
