Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has pleaded not guilty to multiple corruption charges at her trial in London.
Appearing before Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, the 65-year-old denied five counts of accepting bribes and one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Prosecutors allege that Alison-Madueke “enjoyed a life of luxury” in the British capital, claiming she was provided access to high-end properties and showered with lavish gifts by figures in the oil and gas industry seeking to influence the awarding of lucrative contracts.
Her defence lawyer, Jonathan Laidlaw, countered that the purchases made on her behalf were due to restrictions preventing Nigerian ministers from holding foreign bank accounts.
He argued that Alison-Madueke disputes the extent of the benefits she received and maintained that “all that was spent on her personally, in one way or another, was reimbursed.”
Laidlaw further told jurors that personal expenses were repaid in Nigeria, while costs tied to official business were reimbursed from government funds.
He insisted that the former minister did not gain any financial advantage from the alleged transactions. The trial continues at Southwark Crown Court.
