By Muhammad Mamman
A former British building contractor has told a London court that his company carried out more than £2m worth of renovation work on a luxury property allegedly used by Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, as her high-profile bribery trial continues.
Testifying on Tuesday at Southwark Crown Court, the contractor said his firm was hired to refurbish and manage the high-value London residence, describing extensive interior upgrades and ongoing maintenance arrangements.
Prosecutors allege the property formed part of a network of assets linked to bribes paid to Alison-Madueke while she served in Nigeria’s cabinet.
The former minister is standing trial alongside Olatimbo Ayinde, an oil executive, and her brother, Doye Agama. The three face five charges related to the alleged acceptance of bribes, which prosecutors say were channelled through intermediaries and used to acquire luxury assets in the United Kingdom.
All defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015, has long been at the centre of corruption investigations spanning several countries, with UK authorities pursuing the case as part of broader efforts to recover assets allegedly linked to illicit funds.
The trial is ongoing.
