Contractor Narrates How Unpaid £2m Renovation Projects Were Executed For Diezani

A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Thursday told Judge Michael Snow of Southwark Crown Court in England that millions of pounds were allegedly spent on luxury property refurbishments for the former Minister.

The witness, Tony Mulcahy, a construction contractor linked to high-end London homes, testified that the total cost for the work at one of Alison-Madueke’s properties at 39 Chester Close North in London was approximately £2 million.

Mulcahy also told the court that his company, Bear Rock Construction Ltd, carried out works between 2011 and 2014 on several homes belonging to the defendant through her associates, Kolawole Aluko.

The 65-year-old former Minister was arraigned before the court on a five-count charge of accepting bribes and an additional count of conspiracy to commit bribery, relating to her tenure as Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015, under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Alison-Madueke is accused of accepting “financial or other advantages” from individuals linked to the Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups between 2011 and 2015.

Two others, Doye Agama and oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, are also being prosecuted on bribery charges related to the case.

When the case came up for hearing on Wednesday, the prosecutor, Jonathan Laidlaw, led the witness in evidence and tendered emails and financial records as exhibits to support his case.

In his testimony, Mulcahy detailed a business relationship with Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko, which included significant renovations for Alison-Madueke’s benefit and was marked by ongoing payment disputes.

The prosecution tendered emails indicating Bear Rock was hired by Aluko to oversee significant refurbishments at 39 Chester Close North in London.

Mulcahy also showed the court floor plans indicating that a residential lift had been installed because the intended occupant, Alison-Madueke’s mother, has mobility impairments.

The witness, who claimed that the top floor was reserved for the minister’s son, estimated the total cost of the work on this property to be about £2 million.

He also confirmed that he had direct contact with Alison-Madueke regarding these projects, claiming that he met her at the properties to examine materials, such as stone samples and fabric swatches.

The prosecution showed jury text messages exchanged between Mulcahy and Alison-Madueke about lighting choices in early 2014, extracted from her personal mobile number.

A central theme of Mulcahy’s evidence was the financial hardship his company faced due to late or incomplete payments from Aluko.

He described a cycle of fund requests, promises, and delays. In September 2013, an email from property manager Vahabi complained of not hearing from Donald Amamgbo, another associate, regarding urgent refurbishment work at a separate property, 5 Park View.

By December 2013, the situation escalated. Mulcahy emailed Aluko stating Bear Rock was “on the brink.” When the prosecutor asked what that phrase meant, Mulcahy replied, “going under.”

Aluko agreed to pay £200,000. When the payment was not received, Mulcahy informed Aluko that they had a large order from Harrods and were storing it as collateral to recover their money. The payment was then made soon after.

Financial difficulties persisted into 2014. In March, Mulcahy emailed Aluko about unpaid funds and hinted at a “situation with our friend.” When asked, Mulcahy said this referred to “a problem.”

In April, another email asked whether they should contact Alison-Madueke directly, as the unpaid bills were “ruining us.”

Aluko instructed Mulcahy to write a formal letter to the minister about the debts, which he personally delivered to her residence at St Edmund’s Terrace.

A payment of £270,000 was made a week later through Aluko’s company, Atlantic Energy. Mulcahy recalled a meeting at One Hyde Park, one of London’s most expensive addresses, arranged by Aluko.

“It really pissed me off,” he said in court. “Here is a man who owes me, and he invites me to meet at One Hyde Park.”

Emails introduced during the trial showed that Aluko’s office company, Tenka Limited, managed many expenses related to properties used by Alison-Madueke, including staff salaries, utility bills, and repairs.

One internal email from May 2013 mentioned the need for secrecy and instructed that references to “HM” (Honourable Minister) be replaced with “Clients” in account documents.