₦airaland Forum

Diezani lavished over N4bn in London luxury store – UK prosecutor

British prosecutors on Wednesday told a London court that former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, lavished more than £2m (N4bn) at Harrods, allegedly using funds provided by oil executives who benefited from lucrative contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

The prosecution said founders of energy companies awarded major NNPC contracts also paid the running costs of Alison-Madueke’s UK residence and covered the salaries of her domestic staff.

The payments, the court heard, included wages for a housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner at the former minister’s property.

According to prosecutors, the benefits formed part of a wider pattern of inducements allegedly offered in exchange for favourable treatment on oil and gas contracts.

Alison-Madueke, a former President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, is standing trial at Southwark Crown Court on five counts relating to the acceptance of bribes in the form of luxury goods and the use of high-end properties owned by oil industry figures. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery.

Jurors were told that the former minister maintained a lavish lifestyle in the United Kingdom, including the use of a personal shopper at Harrods, a service available only to Black Tier Rewards members who spend more than £10,000 annually.

Prosecutors alleged that over £2m was spent on Alison-Madueke’s behalf at the Brompton Road store, with several purchases made using payment cards linked to Kolawole Aluko and the debit card of his company, Tenka Limited.

“She was provided with a life of luxury in the United Kingdom,” the prosecutor said, adding that Alison-Madueke allegedly enjoyed the use of multimillion-pound properties, a chauffeur-driven car, private jet travel and £100,000 in cash.

The court was also told that about £4.6m was spent refurbishing properties in London and Buckinghamshire allegedly linked to her use.

Aluko, a petroleum and aviation magnate named in the Panama Papers, was previously investigated over allegations that he helped move millions of dollars out of Nigeria as kickbacks to Alison-Madueke. Prosecutors said he also held contracts with state-owned oil entities while seeking new ones.

“This case is about bribery in relation to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria between 2011 and 2015,” said Alexandra Healy KC, prosecuting.

“Those interested in the award and retention of lucrative oil and gas contracts provided significant financial and other advantages to Alison-Madueke.

“There is a strong public interest in ensuring that conduct in this country does not further corruption in another country,” she added.

Jurors were shown photographs of a Buckinghamshire property known as The Falls, bought in 2010 by Nigerian businessman Olajide Omokore, owner of Atlantic Energy.

The court heard that from late 2011, Alison-Madueke allegedly had exclusive use of the property, which included a cinema room, staying there several times and spending about six weeks writing a book. The costs, including about £300,000 in refurbishments, were allegedly paid by Tenka Limited.

Prosecutors further said that between May 2011 and January 2014, about £500,000 was paid in rent for two flats in central London occupied by Alison-Madueke and her mother, with company records allegedly showing that Tenka settled the bills.

Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who faces one count of bribery relating to her and another of bribing a foreign public official.

Her brother, Doye Agama, 69, a former archbishop, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and is attending the trial by video link for medical reasons.

All three defendants have denied the charges. The trial, expected to last about 12 weeks, continues.

Source: https://punchng.com/diezani-lavished-over-n4bn-in-london-luxury-store-uk-prosecutor

She really dealt with Nigeria money. This woman go wear jewelry you go dey hear hundred thousands of dollars.

She no steal reach those in Buharis government and those in Tinubus government....she be kindergarten compared to them

Denzianin the woman that sabi how to spend Nigerian money well-well.......

That woman na better Thief... She even made mention of giving the current Zamfara state governor around 3 billion USD to keep

From this, na bribe she collect, so dem fit d thief Their

Precious201010:
That woman na better Thief... She even made mention of giving the current Zamfara state governor around 3 billion USD to keep

No let make her supporters read you comment ooo. Dem go soon claim victim brouhaha now.

This woman really destroy GEJ Government.

Omo. This woman really overdo o, make we nor lie

Jonathan's government was full of impunity to say the least. Under his tenure billions of dollars acquired from oil windfall was squandered by q cartel of thieftocrats.. Shame how clueless he was to it all

Beautiful th...i..eeff ...but its the same UK thats protecting her .. Big th..I.. protecting small th...I.. ef... wey put the money in big thi...ef... banks ..

cr7lomo:
She no steal reach those in Buharis government and those in Tinubus government....she be kindergarten compared to them

These are the problems, is it supose to be a competition of thieves.
this right here is why curruption keep eating deep in our environment
stealing is stealing irrespective of political party, tribe or religion
the earlier we start criticizing without sentiment the better for us all

Malami thief pass her, abeg!!

The GEJ era..money was just everywhere.

I remember coming to naija for holiday from the UK, na so my close relative say GEJ is coming to Eko hotel in Lagos say make I follow am join the entourage of some important people.

Na so we came home with $4,000 (100 dollar bills) in brown envelope. A gift from the president to support his campaign for re-election.

I can only imagine how much people close to him in Abuja were making.

Stolen wealth is hardly ever spent wisely or prudently...!

Nigeria will never recover financially from the shockingly abysmal level of plundering during Jonathan's 6-year reign.

Sahara reporters was talking about this since 2011.

https://www.firstweeklymagazine.com/kola-aluko-money-launderer-for-alison-madueke-jonathan-holed-up-in-swiss-estate/

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/236970-u-s-prosecutors-expose-how-alison-madueke-omokore-aluko-blew-billions-on-lavish-lifestyle.html

At some point Kola Aluko and Omokore were selling off millions of barrels of Nigerian crude outside the original agreement their company had with the NNPC. Right there in Nigerian waters. Hundreds of millions of dollars got deposited in banks across Europe.

Allison and her family were able to benefit immensely from her time as petroleum minister but there is somebody else Deizianni and Aluko were laundering millions of dollars for, raping and pillaging the same Niger Delta they come from. He goes around decieving himself to be a man of peace but with the billions of naira and hundreds of millions of dollars stolen during his term, he still couldn't do the road to his community until Buhari came.

We know of Abacha loot. One day, we will hear of Jonathan loot.

Na here where be say what a man can do a woman can do better

She was actually a very brilliant but an over luxurious woman who wants to live the next level life

Lies. As long as Tinubu is walking free then every other thief is a saint

This case is about bribery in relation to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria between 2011 and 2015,” said Alexandra Healy KC, prosecuting.

i forgot that fellow asking me earlier about Diezani. Let me find him.

Okay, found him/her/them. Ojuntana, if you can comprehend, they are not challenging how much she spent or what she acquired and how many flats she bought. They are challenging inducements, what we call bribery and corruption. i trust you and our quack news to have fits on how much naira her bag and wristwatch costs.

Her brother, Doye Agama, 69, a former archbishop, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and is attending the trial by video link for medical reasons.

even pastors are part of the corruption

For Aluko, her money launderer to buy a yacht that Jay-Z rented. Just imagine the amount of money this woman stole

Hezzyluv:
She really dealt with Nigeria money. This woman go wear jewelry you go dey hear hundred thousands of dollars.

What is Nigeria? A tree or corn?

The only eastern governor that isn’t a terrorist sympathizer

This woman still balling big after all these years... No be small bar she hold..

This Woman the welfare with reckless Abandon, her hand been the very open, though a beautiful frogged eyes thief.

Hezzyluv:
She really dealt with Nigeria money. This woman go wear jewelry you go dey hear hundred thousands of dollars.

You think so?

What she took is a tiny fraction to what some people took

No be person get estates for Abuja with almost 800 flats?
Just one person o

This okpolor eye thief still dey alive?



I think say the cancer don send her to the other side........Thunder fire all the politicians wey don destroy this country.

Mtmike:
These are the problems, is it supose to be a competition of thieves.
this right here is why curruption keep eating deep in our environment
stealing is stealing irrespective of political party, tribe or religion
the earlier we start criticizing without sentiment the better for us all

U can't prosecute one due to political reasons and leave out the other multitude...why don't they also go for the others ....they wudnt cos they are padi padi

cr7lomo:
She no steal reach those in Buharis government and those in Tinubus government....she be kindergarten compared to them

Will you stop deceiving yourself? Your sister Beta Edu stole in the very 1st month of being sworn in. She was promptly sacked. So before you make any allegation against Tinubu, bring tangible, empirical evidence or for ever shut up.

Angelfrost:
Stolen wealth is hardly ever spent wisely or prudently...!

Nigeria will never recover financially from the shockingly abysmal level of plundering during Jonathan's 6-year reign.

Not only Jonathan's reign, even this present government are thieves. Abacha own still dey one side, na everytime we dey hear say dem return loot wey the thieves still dey re-loot.



The bitter truth is that Nigeria is beyond redemption, these criminals have killed and buried Nigeria