A former British building contractor has told a London court how his company renovated and managed high-end properties allegedly used by Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, as her bribery trial continues at the Southwark Crown Court.
Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside Olatimbo Ayinde, an oil executive, and Doye Agama, her brother, on five counts related to the alleged receipt of bribes. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty.
On the fifth day of proceedings, Tony Mulcahy, a former director of Bear Rock Construction Ltd, gave evidence that his firm undertook extensive refurbishment work between 2011 and 2014 on several luxury properties linked to the former minister and members of her family.
Mulcahy told the court that Bear Rock was engaged by businessman Kolawole Aluko to carry out major renovation works at 39 Chester Close in north London. Aluko, a petroleum and aviation magnate, was among prominent Nigerians named in the Panama Papers investigation.
According to floor plans presented in court, the property was fitted with a residential lift. Mulcahy said the installation was necessary because Alison-Madueke’s mother had mobility challenges. He added that the top floor of the building was designated for the minister’s son and that the refurbishment cost was in the region of £2 million.
The witness said he dealt directly with Alison-Madueke on several occasions, including meetings at the property where design details such as stone finishes and fabric samples were discussed. Text messages from early 2014 concerning lighting fittings were shown to the court, with Mulcahy confirming that he had her personal phone number.
Much of his testimony focused on financial strain caused by what he described as persistent delays and shortfalls in payments from Aluko. He told the court there was a repeated pattern of requests for payment followed by assurances that failed to materialise.
By December 2013, Mulcahy said the company was “on the brink”, which he explained meant it was close to “going under”.
He said that after a promised £200,000 payment failed to arrive, Bear Rock withheld a large delivery from Harrods that was being stored, using it as “leverage” to secure payment. The money was eventually paid shortly afterwards.
Mulcahy said the financial pressure continued into 2014. In April, he emailed Aluko, warning that unpaid invoices were “ruining us” and asking whether he should contact Alison-Madueke directly.
According to his testimony, Aluko advised him to send a formal letter to the then minister. Mulcahy said he hand-delivered the letter to her residence at St Edmund’s Terrace, and about a week later, £270,000 was paid through Atlantic Energy, a company linked to Aluko.
He also told the court he was invited by Aluko to a meeting at One Hyde Park, one of London’s most exclusive addresses.
“It really annoyed me,” Mulcahy said.
“Here is a man who is owing me money, and he invites me to meet him at One Hyde Park.”
Emails tendered in evidence suggested that Tenka Limited, another company associated with Aluko, paid running costs for properties allegedly used by Alison-Madueke, including staff salaries, utility bills and maintenance expenses.
One internal email from May 2013 instructed staff to replace references to “HM” (Honourable Minister) with “Clients” in accounting records.
Mulcahy said he later attempted to recover outstanding debts through Donald Amamgbo, whom he understood to be a lawyer. Despite several meetings, Bear Rock Construction eventually entered voluntary liquidation.
Earlier proceedings
In earlier sessions, prosecutors told the court that Alison-Madueke spent £140,000 on luxury furniture and decorative items in a single day.
On January 27, the prosecution alleged that the former minister received bribes in the form of expensive goods and access to prime London properties from figures within the oil industry.
Alexandra Healy, a prosecutor, told jurors that Alison-Madueke “enjoyed a life of luxury in London”, allegedly funded by individuals seeking oil contracts in Nigeria.
However, on January 29, her counsel, Jonathan Laidlaw, argued that Alison-Madueke had little real power over the award of oil licences while in office, describing her role as that of a “rubber stamp” for official recommendations.
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