No be small matter o! Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, dey waka enter serious gbege for London court as dem don land am with evidence wey show say she chop over £2m (N4bn) for Harrods! Na all these money wey oil executives wey dey enjoy lucrative contracts with NNPC carry give am o!
Prosecutors don yarn say the people wey carry out major energy contracts for Nigeria also dey pay for everything wey concern Alison-Madueke for UK, from her house rent to the salaries of her house staff! Dem talk say she get housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner for her property. Na wetin dem dey use do? Dey to repay her for the good ‘treatments’ wey dem dey get for oil and gas contracts!
This woman, wey bin serve as the President for Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), no dey fit hold her side as she dey face five counts wey concern bribery and luxury goods. She don say she no guilty at all! The prosecution don also show photo of her o! Dem talk say she dey live life like say na London be her village, complete with a personal shopper wey dey help am buy for Harrods, wey na VIP only! Others dey spend serious money for there, but she dey chop their money for free!
Her charges no be small o! Dem say from 2011 to 2015, she dey collect big financial favours from oil people, and na so she dey enjoy life dey go. Prosecutor Alexandra Healy talk say this case na about how businesses go dey bribe government officials to win contracts – shame no gree dem! E get as she put am: “We need to make sure say wetin dem dey do for here no go cause wahala for another country!”
Alison-Madueke no dey alone for this gbatia; oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde dey face bribery question too. Her own brother, Doye Agama, wey don be bishop before, dey join the case via video link for health reasons. All of dem don flatly deny say dem do anything wrong. Na serious gist as this trial go take about 12 weeks to finish!
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