Steve Swann<\/span>Southwark Crown Court <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n More than \u00a32m was spent at Harrods on behalf of a then-Nigerian oil minister accused of accepting bribes from industry figures interested in government contracts, a court in London has heard.<\/p>\n Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, is alleged to have been provided with “a life of luxury in the United Kingdom”, including the use of multimillion-pound properties, a chauffeur driven car, travel by private jet, and \u00a3100,000 in cash.<\/p>\n Other benefits she allegedly received included \u00a34.6m spent on refurbishing properties in London and Buckinghamshire, the trial at Southwark Crown Court was told.<\/p>\n She denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alison-Madueke was minister of petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-President Goodluck Jonathan.<\/p>\n Jurors were told that over \u00a32m was spent on behalf of Alison-Madueke at Harrods using the payment cards of Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and the debit card of his company Tenka Limited. <\/p>\n The defendant had her own personal shopper at the store, only available to Harrods Rewards Black Tier members who must spend over \u00a310,000 a year, the court heard.<\/p>\n Jurors were also told she lived some of the time in the UK where she was provided with a housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner.<\/p>\n The salaries and other running costs were paid for by the owners of energy companies who had lucrative contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the court was told.<\/p>\n “This case is about bribery in relation to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria during the period 2011 to 2015,” said Alexandra Healy KC, prosecuting.<\/p>\n “During that time those who were interested in the award and retention of lucrative oil and gas contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation or its subsidiaries the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and the Pipelines Product Marketing Company, provided significant financial or other advantages to Alison-Madueke.”<\/p>\n Healy added: “It might seem strange to be dealing here in the UK with a case that concerns bribery in relation to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.<\/p>\n “We live in a global society. Bribery and corruption undermine the proper functioning of the global market. <\/p>\n “There is an important public interest in ensuring that conduct in our country does not further corruption in another country.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Jurors were also shown photographs inside a property called The Falls in Gerrard’s Cross, Buckinghamshire, which was bought in 2010 by Nigerian businessman Olajide Omokore, owner of a company called Atlantic Energy.<\/p>\n From late 2011 Alison-Madueke allegedly had exclusive use of the house which has a cinema room. The court heard she stayed there three or four times over two years, and spent six weeks at the property writing a book about the president of Nigeria.<\/p>\n She was assisted by a chef and the driver of car whose role included dropping off shopping for Alison-Madueke, whom he knew as “HM” – short for honourable minister.<\/p>\n It was said that this, along with \u00a3300,000 worth of refurbishment, was paid for by Tenka Limited. The court was told Aluko also had contracts with state-owned entities that were in the process of securing new oil contracts.<\/p>\n The court heard that between May 2011 and January 2014, \u00a3500,000 was also paid in rent for two flats in a block in central London where Alison-Madueke and her mother lived. <\/p>\n Records seized at the Tenka offices in Nigeria show the company settled the bill, it was claimed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alison-Madueke sat in the dock besides oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who is charged with one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.<\/p>\n Alison-Madueke’s brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and joined the trial by video link for medical reasons.<\/p>\n Ayinde and Agama also deny the charges against them.<\/p>\n The trial \u2013 expected to last about 12 weeks – continues.<\/p>\n Oil plays a significant role in Nigeria’s economy, but the population at large has not seen the benefits.<\/p>\n It is one of the 13 members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), set up to deal with the worldwide supply of oil and its price.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Getty](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/d9d4\/live\/b26627a0-fb9a-11f0-bb99-e9cf31cf2a39.jpg.webp\")
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