Diezani renovated high-value London property with £2m, contractor tells UK court

A former UK building contractor has told a London court howhis firm renovated and managed luxury property allegedly used by DiezaniAlison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, as heralleged bribery trial continues at the Southwark Crown Court. Alison-Madueke is currently facing trial alongside OlatimboAyinde, an oil executive; and Doye Agama, her brother; on a five-count chargebordering on accepting bribes. They pleaded not guilty. Giving evidence on the fifth day of the trial, Tony Mulcahy,a former director of Bear Rock Construction Ltd, said the company carried outextensive refurbishment works between 2011 and 2014 on several high-valueproperty linked to the ex-minister and her family. Mulcahy told the court that Bear Rock was hired by KolawoleAluko, a businessman, to oversee major renovations at 39 Chester Close, NorthLondon. Aluko is a petroleum and aviation mogul who was part of aconstellation of Nigerian oil executives, state governors, cabinet ministers,military officials, and tribal chiefs mentioned in the Panama Papers leak. According to floor plans tendered before the court, theproperty was fitted with a residential lift, which Mulcahy said was installedbecause Alison-Madueke’s mother had mobility issues. He said the top floor of the building was allocated to theminister’s son and that the renovation cost about £2 million. Mulcahy also told the court that he had direct dealings withAlison-Madueke, including meetings at the property where materials such asstone samples and fabric swatches were reviewed. Text messages exchanged in early 2014 relating to lightingchoices were shown to the court, with Mulcahy confirming that he hadAlison-Madueke’s personal mobile number. A significant part of his testimony centred on financialdifficulties allegedly caused by delayed and incomplete payments from Aluko. Mulcahy described what he called a recurring cycle ofrequests for payment followed by assurances that were not met. By December2013, he said Bear Rock was “on the brink”, which he explained meant “goingunder”. He told the court that after Aluko promised a £200,000payment that failed to arrive as agreed, the company withheld a large deliveryfrom Harrods that was being stored, using it as “leverage” to recover thefunds. The £200,000 was paid shortly afterwards. The witness said the company’s financial challengespersisted into 2014. In April of that year, he emailed Aluko, warning thatunpaid bills were “ruining us” and asking whether he should contactAlison-Madueke directly. According to Mulcahy, Aluko advised him to write a formalletter to the then minister. He said he personally delivered the letter to herresidence at St Edmund’s Terrace, after which a payment of £270,000 was madeabout a week later through Aluko’s company, Atlantic Energy. Mulcahy also recounted being invited by Aluko to a meetingat One Hyde Park, one of London’s most expensive addresses. “It really annoyed me,” he said. “Here is a man who is owing me money, and he invites me tomeet him at One Hyde Park.” Emails presented in court suggested that Tenka Limited,another company linked to Aluko, handled expenses for properties allegedly usedby Alison-Madueke, including staff wages, utility bills and maintenance costs. One internal email from May 2013 instructed staff to replacereferences to “HM” (Honourable Minister) with “Clients” in account records. Mulcahy told the court that he later sought to recover theoutstanding debts through Donald Amamgbo, whom he was introduced to as alawyer. Despite several meetings, he said Bear Rock Constructioneventually went into voluntary liquidation. EARLIER PROCEEDINGS In previous proceedings, British prosecutors detailed to thecourt how the ex-government official spent £140,000 on luxury furniture anddecorative art in a single day. During the court proceedings on January 27, prosecutors toldthe court that Alison-Madueke accepted bribes in the form of luxury goods anduse of high-level properties from industry figures. Alexandra Healy, a prosecutor, had told the jurors that thedefendant “enjoyed a life of luxury in London”, which was provided by thoseinterested in oil contracts in Nigeria. On January 29, Jonathan Laidlaw, counsel to Alison-Madueke,told the court that his client had no real influence on award of oil contractsduring her stint in office. Laidlaw had said Alison-Madueke was just a “rubber stamp”for official recommendation.

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