The Deziani Trial: Secret shopping sprees and Cash for Contracts Alleged
At Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday, prosecutors detailed what they describe as a years-long campaign of lavish, secretive spending by oil businessmen on former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly in exchange for access to billion-dollar contracts.
The court heard that between 2012 and 2014, associate Kola Aluko funded a relentless luxury shopping itinerary. At Harrods in November 2013, a sales executive recalled Alison-Madueke, appearing “glamorous” with a security guard, selecting rugs worth £22,185 from The Rug Company, paid for by Aluko’s American Express card. Many items, shipped to Lagos, were later found unused in storage units in Apapa.
The scale extended to other elite retailers. At Vincenzo Caffarella, where she used the name ‘Sharon D,’ Aluko paid £370,740 for her chosen items. Prosecutors showed photos from her phone matching purchased lamps and urns to her residences. At Thomas Goode, staff recalled her visiting for hours with entourages including Aluko and others, remarking, “I don’t even know why I’m buying this, I haven’t the room for it.” In total, Aluko allegedly spent £117,000 there, with invoices and photos linking goods to her properties.
Beyond shopping, the prosecution outlined direct cash benefits. Aluko’s driver recalled making cash withdrawals for his employer on up to twelve occasions, and once delivering £100,000 in cash directly to Alison-Madueke. The funds were allegedly withdrawn from a company owned by Jide Omokore. In January 2012, Aluko also chartered a private jet to fly Alison-Madueke and her family from Luton to Lagos. Furthermore, renovations to a Gerald’s Cross property and a £2 million elevator installation for her mother brought the total value of alleged work funded by Aluko and linked companies to over £4.6 million.
Central to the prosecution’s case is the timing of these benefits alongside major state oil contracts. During this period, Aluko and Omokore’s Atlantic Energy held Strategic Alliance Agreements with the state-owned NPDC. Crucially, the prosecution notes it is not alleging Alison-Madueke directly awarded contracts improperly as a result of these benefits nor does it have evidence that Alison-Madueke provided any advantages to any entities. Instead, the impropriety alleged is that, given her ministerial position, she should not have accepted such advantages from those conducting lucrative business with entities she oversaw.
The court was shown a 2015 NNPC letter to Alison-Madueke requesting ministerial approval for debt recovery from Atlantic, which owed over $1.5 billion. Recorded conversations from 2014 revealed a deteriorating relationship, with Alison-Madueke telling Omokore, “You and Jide have some of the most support that we could possibly give,” and accusing Aluko of plotting to “take her down.”
The second stream of alleged benefits involved Benedict Peters. His companies, Aiteo and Sullam Voe, were awarded multiple oil and gas contracts between 2010 and 2015, including deals approved by Alison-Madueke in 2012 and 2014. During this same period, the prosecution alleges he funded property acquisitions and transfers for her family. A £120,000 payment was made to Bimfol Ventures, a dormant company, whose late owner said she forwarded the money as instructed by Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, for his Christian Way of Life church, described as a “sacrificial seed.”
The prosecution contends this pattern repeated with others in the industry, alleging Tanimu (Sanomi) also provided financial benefits while his company sought work from her ministry.
During the session, the prosecution acknowledged some errors in documentation, with the judge directing amendments to be made. No witnesses have been cross-examined as of today’s session, and all defendants deny the charges. The trial continues, with the defence case to follow.
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