A court in London has been played private recordings said to capture tense talks between former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and two wealthy oil businessmen.
According to BBC, prosecutors told the court that the former minister, now 65, lived an expensive life in the United Kingdom that was paid for by businessmen who wanted major oil deals from Nigeria’s government. She denies all the charges against her, including five counts of bribery and one count of planning bribery with others.
The case is being heard at Southwark Crown Court.
The court was told that when Alison-Madueke was arrested in London in 2015, UK officers took her Samsung phone. On the device were audio recordings from 2014. Prosecutors say the recordings show her speaking separately with two oil businessmen, Olajide Omokore and Kolawole Aluko.
Neither man is on trial in this case. However, prosecutors claim they paid bribes to the former minister while she was in charge of Nigeria’s petroleum ministry between 2010 and 2015.
The recordings were made at a time when, the court heard, Alison-Madueke believed people close to the businessmen were spreading information that could damage her.
In one recording from April 2014, she is heard speaking firmly to Omokore. At one point, she says: “I do not react well to being blackmailed.”
Prosecutors say her tone changed during the conversation, suggesting anger and frustration over claims that private information was being shared.
A second recording, made about a month later, captured her meeting with Aluko. The court heard that he was searched before the discussion began.
During that conversation, Alison-Madueke criticized what she described as his “lavish, lascivious lifestyle.” She warned that his public image was drawing attention online.
Referring to British supermodel Naomi Campbell, she told him: “Naomi Campbell, these are not the people for you to be parading… Other men do these things, but they don’t parade them. They do them quietly because the time for parading these things was not now.”
She also warned that intelligence agencies might begin watching him because of his behaviour and property purchases.
The court heard one of the strongest statements from the recording when Alison-Madueke said: “I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself.”
She continued: “Oh yes, I will blame myself… but I will come out openly and say it so they can judge me openly.”
In response, Aluko said: “I never ever mentioned your name or any other name.” He also told her he had placed documents in a safety deposit box, including “whatever I thought could save me, what could save me from jail.”
He described himself as having “a million flaws” but being “loyal like a dog.”
Earlier in the trial, Alison-Madueke’s lawyer told the court she did not ask for or receive any improper payments from the businessmen. The defense also noted that the two businessmen have not been charged or brought to the UK to face trial.
Also standing trial is Olatimbo Ayinde, who denies one count of bribery linked to Alison-Madueke and another charge of bribing a foreign public official.
In addition, Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, denies planning bribery.