Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
In a high-profile corruption case unfolding at Southwark Crown Court in London, prosecutors have presented documentary and digital evidence that referenced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and Nigerian oil businessman Kolawole Aluko during the ongoing trial of former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke. The evidence was introduced as part of the prosecution’s case and remains subject to judicial scrutiny as proceedings continue.
The trial centres on allegations that Alison-Madueke accepted bribes and improper benefits while in office from industry figures seeking advantageous treatment in oil and gas contracts. Prosecutors told the court that the evidentiary material includes transcripts of audio recordings, WhatsApp messages, emails and written correspondence recovered during searches carried out by the UK’s National Crime Agency and the Metropolitan Police at properties linked to the defendant. Portions of these materials were said to contain references to communications involving President Tinubu and former Vice President Osinbajo, though the specific context of those references was not fully detailed in open court.
During the proceedings, prosecutors also referred to claims attributed to oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde that individuals connected with Kolawole Aluko benefited from their proximity to him. Ayinde, described in court as a known associate in the oil sector, was said to have been involved in disputes with other business figures, with at least one letter to former President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly expressing concerns for personal safety. The prosecution further cited recorded material linked to former administration officials and intermediaries in financial dealings connected to the broader case.
The evidence presented is part of a substantial body of material the prosecution says supports charges against Alison-Madueke, who has pleaded not guilty to five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The former minister, who also served as President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), faces allegations that she lived an extravagant lifestyle in the UK while in office, including luxury shopping and use of expensive properties, allegedly funded by individuals seeking favourable treatment in Nigerian state oil deals.
Defence counsel has challenged aspects of the prosecution’s narrative, with arguments that Alison-Madueke’s role in awarding contracts was limited and that what is considered extravagant in the UK context may not have been inappropriate in her official duties, but the trial is set to continue over several weeks as both sides present their cases.
The inclusion of references to high-profile Nigerian public figures in the evidence has drawn attention, but it is important to note that such mentions do not equate to formal charges against those individuals. All referenced materials are being tendered as part of the prosecution’s ongoing case, with judicial determination pending as the trial unfolds.
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