A London court has heard allegations that a former Nigerian oil minister went on “extravagant and excessive” shopping sprees at luxury stores in the UK using money derived from bribes paid by industry insiders.
Prosecutors told Southwark Crown Court that Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources from 2010 to 2015, enjoyed a lavish lifestyle in the United Kingdom funded by businessmen seeking lucrative government contracts.
During a visit to Harrods in November 2013, Alison-Madueke is said to have ordered rugs worth thousands of pounds, including items from luxury brand Alexander McQueen. The court heard she was accompanied by Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and a security guard.
A Harrods sales executive described the former minister as “extremely glamorous” and dressed in very expensive clothing during the visit.
The prosecution also told the court that Alison-Madueke was a frequent customer at Vincenzo Cafferella, a north London decorative arts and furniture store, where she was allegedly known under the name “Sharon D.” Between October 2012 and November 2013, Aluko is said to have purchased lamps, tables and other items for her worth more than £370,000.
Jurors also heard that she regularly spent hours shopping at Thomas Goode, a luxury china and silverware shop in Mayfair, often arriving with an entourage of four or five people. A staff member recalled her once remarking, “I don’t even know why I’m buying this, I haven’t got the room for it.”
According to the prosecution, many items were bought but never collected, and Alison-Madueke did not personally pay for any purchases. Instead, the bills were allegedly settled by Aluko and other Nigerian businessmen linked to energy companies that held lucrative contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation during her tenure.
Alison-Madueke, now 65, denies five counts of accepting bribes and one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
