Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has told the Southwark Crown Court in London that she neither controlled nor personally benefited from a series of luxury purchases and financial transactions presented by prosecutors in her ongoing trial.
The court continued hearing evidence centred on alleged high-value spending patterns in 2013, with the prosecution presenting emails, travel records, invoices, text messages and Harrods transaction documents as part of its case linking the former minister to luxury goods and property-related purchases.
During cross-examination, prosecutors returned to a series of events in July 2013, including travel movements, communications, and shopping records involving designer items, watches, furniture, and household fittings.
The prosecution suggested the pattern of transactions showed coordinated spending involving associates acting on behalf of the defendant.
Diezani, however, consistently maintained that she did not exercise control over the financial activities of key individuals referenced in the case, including Mr Aluko, whom she described as playing an advisory role rather than acting under her direction.
She told the court she was not involved in the execution of transactions attributed to him and did not supervise his financial decisions.
The prosecution confronted her with Harrods invoices and personal shopping records said to include watches, handbags, candles, luxury clothing, and furniture items purchased around early July 2013.
In response, she repeatedly stated that she either had no knowledge of the transactions or could not recall them.
When asked specifically whether she had received original luxury watches allegedly purchased on her behalf, she denied it, saying, “Not at all,” though she acknowledged owning a Rolex when questioned separately.
On several other Harrods-related transactions dated between 4 and 6 July 2013, she told the court she could not confirm whether the purchases were intended for her, stating, “I have no idea,” when asked if Mr Aluko was shopping on her behalf.
