Jonathan Laidlaw, counsel to Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, has told a UK court that his client had no real influence over the award of oil contracts during her time in office.
Addressing jurors at the Southwark Crown Court in London on Thursday, Laidlaw said Alison-Madueke merely acted on recommendations made by civil servants and functioned as a “rubber stamp” in the approval process.
Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan. She is currently standing trial on five counts related to alleged bribery and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Earlier in the week, British prosecutors alleged that the former minister accepted bribes in the form of luxury goods and access to high-end properties from industry figures seeking oil contracts in Nigeria.
Prosecutor Alexandra Healy told the court that Alison-Madueke “enjoyed a life of luxury in London,” allegedly funded by individuals with commercial interests in Nigeria’s oil sector.
However, citing a report by Reuters, Laidlaw said his client’s ministerial role was limited to formally signing off on oil and gas contracts awarded by the federal government.
He urged jurors to consider whether Alison-Madueke had “any ability to exercise influence over who was awarded these contracts, or whether she was simply approving recommendations made by her civil servants”.
Laidlaw also addressed allegations concerning luxury purchases made in the UK, saying the items were bought on Alison-Madueke’s behalf because Nigerian ministers are prohibited from holding foreign bank accounts.
He told the court that personal expenses incurred during overseas trips were repaid by Alison-Madueke upon her return to Nigeria, while costs linked to official duties were reimbursed by the government.
The lawyer further argued that standards of luxury vary by country, telling jurors that what may be regarded as extravagant in the UK is not necessarily perceived the same way in Nigeria.
