Key Witnesses Contradict Prosecution In Diezani UK Bribery Trial
The prosecution in the UK bribery trial of former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Sources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, has confronted a collection of challenges after key witnesses gave testimony that appeared to contradict central components of the Crown’s case.
The trial, holding on the Southwark Crown Court docket, issues 5 counts of bribery and one rely of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Prosecutors alleged that in her tenure as Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister, Allison-Madueke obtained items described as bribes from distinguished figures within the oil business, allegedly meant to affect her official selections.
Over latest days, jurors have heard allegations involving luxurious procuring sprees and high-value purchases in unique areas of London.
Nonetheless, testimony beneath cross-examination has launched vital inconsistencies that the defence is predicted to depend upon as proceedings proceed.
One of many prosecution’s key witnesses, Sandro Rocha, who beforehand labored as a driver to Nigerian businessman Kola Aluko, gave proof over a two-day interval.
In his preliminary testimony, Rocha described transporting massive sums of money and driving Allison-Madueke to and from residences linked to Aluko in London.
He additionally claimed to have pushed her on one event within the firm of former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan.
Nonetheless, throughout cross-examination, Rocha acknowledged that his recollection of occasions between 2009 and 2014 was “patchy.”
He additional admitted that he had relied solely on a witness assertion ready for him by officers of the UK’s Nationwide Crime Company (NCA).
Pressed on particular points of his earlier account, Rocha conceded that sure impressions he had conveyed, together with claims referring to Allison-Madueke’s alleged presence at an unfinished property and the purported sighting of her aged mom at an lively building website, had been “almost certainly improper” when confronted with documentary and factual discrepancies.
His admission that the assertion was drafted by investigators drew consideration to prosecutorial pointers governing witness preparation.
The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) expressly cautions towards teaching witnesses or offering detailed accounts of the proof they’re anticipated to provide in courtroom, with the intention to keep away from the looks that testimony is being formed slightly than independently recalled.
Whereas it stays for the courtroom to find out the burden to connect to Rocha’s proof, the defence has urged that these admissions might have an effect on its reliability.
Earlier within the trial, the prosecution referred to as Amina Hamila, a Non-public Consumer Supervisor at Harrods, the posh London division retailer, to assist allegations that greater than £2 million in purchases had been related to Allison-Madueke’s consumer profile.
The courtroom heard that she was handled as a “Black Tier” consumer, a designation that gives entry to non-public procuring companies and unique advantages.
Nonetheless, beneath cross-examination, Hamila acknowledged that Harrods’ personal transaction data, when cross-checked with Allison-Madueke’s immigration historical past and passport stamps, confirmed that vital parts of the spending attributed to her occurred at instances when she was not current in the UK.
Hamila additional confirmed that Allison-Madueke didn’t bodily produce a cost card in the course of the transactions in query.
Based on her proof, Harrods’ inside techniques recorded Kola Aluko because the paying consumer, and the objects bought had been documented in his identify earlier than being shipped to his storage amenities.
These particulars launched a distinction between the existence of a consumer profile and the query of who funded and formally obtained the posh items, a distinction that will develop into central because the jury considers whether or not the prosecution has established that the alleged advantages had been personally obtained as bribes.
The prosecution maintains that the items and luxurious advantages had been supplied with the intention of influencing Allison-Madueke’s selections throughout her tenure as Petroleum Minister.
The defence, nonetheless, has sought to problem the evidentiary basis of these claims, specializing in inconsistencies in witness recollection and documentary data.
The proceedings are scheduled to proceed on February 23, 2026, with further prosecution witnesses anticipated to testify.
Wale Igbintade
Times Nigeria