Aliyekuwa Waziri wa Rasilimali za Mafuta wa Nigeria, Diezani Alison-Madueke, amefikishwa mahakamani jijini London akikabiliwa na tuhuma za kupokea rushwa zenye thamani ya mamilioni ya pauni kwa njia ya fedha taslimu, mali za kifahari na matumizi ya majengo ya gharama kubwa kutoka kwa wafanyabiashara wa sekta ya mafuta waliokuwa wakitafuta mikataba nono na mashirika ya mafuta ya serikali ya Nigeria.
Waendesha mashtaka wa Uingereza waliiambia Mahakama ya Southwark Crown kuwa Alison-Madueke, mwenye umri wa miaka 65, aliishi “maisha ya kifahari nchini Uingereza” yaliyodaiwa kufadhiliwa na watu waliokuwa na maslahi ya kupata au kuendeleza mikataba ya mafuta na gesi kati ya mwaka 2011 na 2015. Katika kipindi hicho, alikuwa Waziri wa Mafuta chini ya Rais wa zamani Goodluck Jonathan na pia aliwahi kuwa Rais wa Jumuiya ya Nchi Zinazozalisha Mafuta (OPEC), akiwa mwanamke wa kwanza kushika nafasi hizo.
Alison-Madueke anakabiliwa na mashtaka matano ya kupokea rushwa na shtaka moja la kula njama ya kupokea rushwa, ambayo yote ameyakana. Amekuwa nje kwa dhamana tangu alipokamatwa London Oktoba 2015 na alishtakiwa rasmi mwaka 2023.
Kwa mujibu wa mwendesha mashtaka Alexandra Healy KC, Alison-Madueke alidaiwa kupokea “faida kubwa za kifedha na nyinginezo” zikiwemo matumizi ya majengo ya thamani ya mamilioni ya pauni, gari lenye dereva binafsi, safari za ndege binafsi na pauni 100,000 taslimu. Mahakama ilielezwa pia kuwa zaidi ya pauni milioni 2 zilitumika kununua bidhaa kwa niaba yake katika duka la kifahari la Harrods, kupitia kadi za malipo za mfanyabiashara wa Nigeria Kolawole Aluko na kampuni yake, Tenka Limited.
Majaji waliambiwa kuwa Alison-Madueke alikuwa na mnunuzi wake binafsi (personal shopper) katika Harrods, huduma inayopatikana kwa wateja wachache wanaotumia zaidi ya pauni 10,000 kwa mwaka. Faida nyingine anazodaiwa kupata ni pamoja na matumizi ya zaidi ya pauni milioni 4.6 katika ukarabati wa nyumba jijini London na Buckinghamshire, pamoja na gharama za wafanyakazi wa majumbani kama wasaidizi wa kazi, nannies na bustani.
Mahakama ilielezwa kuwa mara kadhaa Alison-Madueke aliishi katika jumba la kifahari lililopo Gerrard’s Cross, Buckinghamshire, linalojulikana kama The Falls, lililonunuliwa mwaka 2010 na mfanyabiashara Olajide Omokore wa kampuni ya Atlantic Energy. Kuanzia mwishoni mwa mwaka 2011, inadaiwa alikuwa akilitumia kwa ukamilifu, likiwa na chumba cha sinema, na alikaa humo kwa muda mrefu ikiwemo wiki sita akiandika kitabu kuhusu Rais wa Nigeria. Gharama za ukarabati wa takribani pauni 300,000 na matumizi mengine zinasemekana kulipwa na Tenka Limited.
Aidha, kati ya Mei 2011 na Januari 2014, takribani pauni 500,000 zililipwa kama kodi ya nyumba mbili katikati ya jiji la London alikoishi Alison-Madueke pamoja na mama yake, huku nyaraka zikionyesha malipo hayo yalifanywa na kampuni hiyo.
Ingawa waendesha mashtaka walisema hakuna ushahidi kuwa Alison-Madueke alitoa mikataba kwa watu wasiostahili, walisisitiza kuwa ilikuwa ni kinyume cha maadili kwa kiongozi wa juu wa serikali kupokea faida kutoka kwa watu na makampuni yaliyokuwa yakifanya biashara na taasisi za serikali.
Katika kesi hiyo, Alison-Madueke yuko kizimbani pamoja na mtendaji wa sekta ya mafuta, Olatimbo Ayinde (54), anayekabiliwa na shtaka moja la kutoa rushwa kuhusiana na yeye na shtaka jingine la kutoa rushwa kwa kiongozi wa umma wa kigeni. Ayinde pia anatuhumiwa kumhonga aliyekuwa Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Shirika la Taifa la Mafuta la Nigeria (NNPC), Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, mwaka 2015 ili kuhakikisha rafiki yake anaendelea kufanya kazi ndani ya shirika hilo baada ya mabadiliko ya uongozi wa kisiasa. Ayinde amekanusha mashtaka yote.
Ndugu wa Alison-Madueke, Doye Agama (69), naye anakabiliwa na shtaka la kula njama ya kupokea rushwa na anafuatilia kesi hiyo kwa njia ya video kutokana na sababu za kiafya. Yeye pia amekana mashtaka yanayomkabili.
Waendesha mashtaka waliieleza mahakama kuwa ingawa tuhuma hizo zinahusu sekta ya mafuta ya Nigeria, kesi inasikilizwa Uingereza kwa sababu washitakiwa wote walikuwa na uhusiano mkubwa na nchi hiyo. Walisema rushwa hudhoofisha masoko ya kimataifa na ni muhimu kuzuia vitendo vinavyofanyika Uingereza kuchochea ufisadi katika nchi nyingine.
Nigeria ni mzalishaji mkubwa wa mafuta barani Afrika na mmoja wa wakubwa duniani, ikizalisha takribani mapipa milioni 1.53 kwa siku. Hata hivyo, ufisadi na usimamizi mbovu vimetajwa kuwa sababu kuu zinazoifanya utajiri wa mafuta kushindwa kunufaisha wananchi wengi.
Kesi hiyo inatarajiwa kuchukua takribani wiki 12 na inaendelea kusikilizwa.
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Alison-Madueke was minister of petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Jurors were told that over £2m was spent on behalf of Alison-Madueke at Harrods using the payment cards of Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and the debit card of his company Tenka Limited.
The defendant had her own personal shopper at the store, only available to Harrods Rewards Black Tier members who must spend over £10,000 a year, the court heard.
Jurors were also told she lived some of the time in the UK where she was provided with a housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner.
The salaries and other running costs were paid for by the owners of energy companies who had lucrative contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the court was told.
"This case is about bribery in relation to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria during the period 2011 to 2015," said Alexandra Healy KC, prosecuting.
"During that time those who were interested in the award and retention of lucrative oil and gas contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation or its subsidiaries the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and the Pipelines Product Marketing Company, provided significant financial or other advantages to Alison-Madueke."
Healy added: "It might seem strange to be dealing here in the UK with a case that concerns bribery in relation to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
"We live in a global society. Bribery and corruption undermine the proper functioning of the global market.
"There is an important public interest in ensuring that conduct in our country does not further corruption in another country."
Jurors were also shown photographs inside a property called The Falls in Gerrard's Cross, Buckinghamshire, which was bought in 2010 by Nigerian businessman Olajide Omokore, owner of a company called Atlantic Energy.
From late 2011 Alison-Madueke allegedly had exclusive use of the house which has a cinema room. The court heard she stayed there three or four times over two years, and spent six weeks at the property writing a book about the president of Nigeria.
She was assisted by a chef and the driver of car whose role included dropping off shopping for Alison-Madueke, whom he knew as "HM" - short for honourable minister.
It was said that this, along with £300,000 worth of refurbishment, was paid for by Tenka Limited. The court was told Aluko also had contracts with state-owned entities that were in the process of securing new oil contracts.
The court heard that between May 2011 and January 2014, £500,000 was also paid in rent for two flats in a block in central London where Alison-Madueke and her mother lived.
Records seized at the Tenka offices in Nigeria show the company settled the bill, it was claimed.
Alison-Madueke sat in the dock besides oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who is charged with one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.
Alison-Madueke's brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and joined the trial by video link for medical reasons.
Ayinde and Agama also deny the charges against them.
The trial – expected to last about 12 weeks - continues.
Oil plays a significant role in Nigeria's economy, but the population at large has not seen the benefits.
It is one of the 13 members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), set up to deal with the worldwide supply of oil and its price.
Source: BBC & Reuters
Waendesha mashtaka wa Uingereza waliiambia Mahakama ya Southwark Crown kuwa Alison-Madueke, mwenye umri wa miaka 65, aliishi “maisha ya kifahari nchini Uingereza” yaliyodaiwa kufadhiliwa na watu waliokuwa na maslahi ya kupata au kuendeleza mikataba ya mafuta na gesi kati ya mwaka 2011 na 2015. Katika kipindi hicho, alikuwa Waziri wa Mafuta chini ya Rais wa zamani Goodluck Jonathan na pia aliwahi kuwa Rais wa Jumuiya ya Nchi Zinazozalisha Mafuta (OPEC), akiwa mwanamke wa kwanza kushika nafasi hizo.
Alison-Madueke anakabiliwa na mashtaka matano ya kupokea rushwa na shtaka moja la kula njama ya kupokea rushwa, ambayo yote ameyakana. Amekuwa nje kwa dhamana tangu alipokamatwa London Oktoba 2015 na alishtakiwa rasmi mwaka 2023.
Kwa mujibu wa mwendesha mashtaka Alexandra Healy KC, Alison-Madueke alidaiwa kupokea “faida kubwa za kifedha na nyinginezo” zikiwemo matumizi ya majengo ya thamani ya mamilioni ya pauni, gari lenye dereva binafsi, safari za ndege binafsi na pauni 100,000 taslimu. Mahakama ilielezwa pia kuwa zaidi ya pauni milioni 2 zilitumika kununua bidhaa kwa niaba yake katika duka la kifahari la Harrods, kupitia kadi za malipo za mfanyabiashara wa Nigeria Kolawole Aluko na kampuni yake, Tenka Limited.
Majaji waliambiwa kuwa Alison-Madueke alikuwa na mnunuzi wake binafsi (personal shopper) katika Harrods, huduma inayopatikana kwa wateja wachache wanaotumia zaidi ya pauni 10,000 kwa mwaka. Faida nyingine anazodaiwa kupata ni pamoja na matumizi ya zaidi ya pauni milioni 4.6 katika ukarabati wa nyumba jijini London na Buckinghamshire, pamoja na gharama za wafanyakazi wa majumbani kama wasaidizi wa kazi, nannies na bustani.
Mahakama ilielezwa kuwa mara kadhaa Alison-Madueke aliishi katika jumba la kifahari lililopo Gerrard’s Cross, Buckinghamshire, linalojulikana kama The Falls, lililonunuliwa mwaka 2010 na mfanyabiashara Olajide Omokore wa kampuni ya Atlantic Energy. Kuanzia mwishoni mwa mwaka 2011, inadaiwa alikuwa akilitumia kwa ukamilifu, likiwa na chumba cha sinema, na alikaa humo kwa muda mrefu ikiwemo wiki sita akiandika kitabu kuhusu Rais wa Nigeria. Gharama za ukarabati wa takribani pauni 300,000 na matumizi mengine zinasemekana kulipwa na Tenka Limited.
Aidha, kati ya Mei 2011 na Januari 2014, takribani pauni 500,000 zililipwa kama kodi ya nyumba mbili katikati ya jiji la London alikoishi Alison-Madueke pamoja na mama yake, huku nyaraka zikionyesha malipo hayo yalifanywa na kampuni hiyo.
Ingawa waendesha mashtaka walisema hakuna ushahidi kuwa Alison-Madueke alitoa mikataba kwa watu wasiostahili, walisisitiza kuwa ilikuwa ni kinyume cha maadili kwa kiongozi wa juu wa serikali kupokea faida kutoka kwa watu na makampuni yaliyokuwa yakifanya biashara na taasisi za serikali.
Katika kesi hiyo, Alison-Madueke yuko kizimbani pamoja na mtendaji wa sekta ya mafuta, Olatimbo Ayinde (54), anayekabiliwa na shtaka moja la kutoa rushwa kuhusiana na yeye na shtaka jingine la kutoa rushwa kwa kiongozi wa umma wa kigeni. Ayinde pia anatuhumiwa kumhonga aliyekuwa Mkurugenzi Mkuu wa Shirika la Taifa la Mafuta la Nigeria (NNPC), Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, mwaka 2015 ili kuhakikisha rafiki yake anaendelea kufanya kazi ndani ya shirika hilo baada ya mabadiliko ya uongozi wa kisiasa. Ayinde amekanusha mashtaka yote.
Ndugu wa Alison-Madueke, Doye Agama (69), naye anakabiliwa na shtaka la kula njama ya kupokea rushwa na anafuatilia kesi hiyo kwa njia ya video kutokana na sababu za kiafya. Yeye pia amekana mashtaka yanayomkabili.
Waendesha mashtaka waliieleza mahakama kuwa ingawa tuhuma hizo zinahusu sekta ya mafuta ya Nigeria, kesi inasikilizwa Uingereza kwa sababu washitakiwa wote walikuwa na uhusiano mkubwa na nchi hiyo. Walisema rushwa hudhoofisha masoko ya kimataifa na ni muhimu kuzuia vitendo vinavyofanyika Uingereza kuchochea ufisadi katika nchi nyingine.
Nigeria ni mzalishaji mkubwa wa mafuta barani Afrika na mmoja wa wakubwa duniani, ikizalisha takribani mapipa milioni 1.53 kwa siku. Hata hivyo, ufisadi na usimamizi mbovu vimetajwa kuwa sababu kuu zinazoifanya utajiri wa mafuta kushindwa kunufaisha wananchi wengi.
Kesi hiyo inatarajiwa kuchukua takribani wiki 12 na inaendelea kusikilizwa.
=========
Alison-Madueke was minister of petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Jurors were told that over £2m was spent on behalf of Alison-Madueke at Harrods using the payment cards of Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and the debit card of his company Tenka Limited.
The defendant had her own personal shopper at the store, only available to Harrods Rewards Black Tier members who must spend over £10,000 a year, the court heard.
Jurors were also told she lived some of the time in the UK where she was provided with a housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner.
The salaries and other running costs were paid for by the owners of energy companies who had lucrative contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the court was told.
"This case is about bribery in relation to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria during the period 2011 to 2015," said Alexandra Healy KC, prosecuting.
"During that time those who were interested in the award and retention of lucrative oil and gas contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation or its subsidiaries the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and the Pipelines Product Marketing Company, provided significant financial or other advantages to Alison-Madueke."
Healy added: "It might seem strange to be dealing here in the UK with a case that concerns bribery in relation to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
"We live in a global society. Bribery and corruption undermine the proper functioning of the global market.
"There is an important public interest in ensuring that conduct in our country does not further corruption in another country."
Jurors were also shown photographs inside a property called The Falls in Gerrard's Cross, Buckinghamshire, which was bought in 2010 by Nigerian businessman Olajide Omokore, owner of a company called Atlantic Energy.
From late 2011 Alison-Madueke allegedly had exclusive use of the house which has a cinema room. The court heard she stayed there three or four times over two years, and spent six weeks at the property writing a book about the president of Nigeria.
She was assisted by a chef and the driver of car whose role included dropping off shopping for Alison-Madueke, whom he knew as "HM" - short for honourable minister.
It was said that this, along with £300,000 worth of refurbishment, was paid for by Tenka Limited. The court was told Aluko also had contracts with state-owned entities that were in the process of securing new oil contracts.
The court heard that between May 2011 and January 2014, £500,000 was also paid in rent for two flats in a block in central London where Alison-Madueke and her mother lived.
Records seized at the Tenka offices in Nigeria show the company settled the bill, it was claimed.
Alison-Madueke sat in the dock besides oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who is charged with one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.
Alison-Madueke's brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and joined the trial by video link for medical reasons.
Ayinde and Agama also deny the charges against them.
The trial – expected to last about 12 weeks - continues.
Oil plays a significant role in Nigeria's economy, but the population at large has not seen the benefits.
It is one of the 13 members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), set up to deal with the worldwide supply of oil and its price.
Source: BBC & Reuters
