A former contractor testified in the Diezani Alison Madueke bribery trial, detailing luxury London property renovations and delayed payments linked to associates

A former building contractor has given detailed evidence on luxury London property renovations linked to Diezani Alison Madueke as her bribery trial continued for a fifth day at Southwark Crown Court.

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Tony Mulcahy, a former director of Bear Rock Construction Ltd, told the court that his firm carried out major refurbishment works between 2011 and 2014 on properties allegedly used by the former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources and her family.

Mulcahy said Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko engaged his company to manage extensive renovations at 39 Chester Close North in London.

He told the jury that floor plans included a residential lift due to mobility challenges faced by Alison Madueke’s mother, while the top floor was reserved for the minister’s son.

Mulcahy said the total cost of work on the property was about £2m.

He said he had direct contact with Alison Madueke and met her at the properties to review materials, including stone samples and fabric choices.

Text messages exchanged in early 2014 over lighting options were shown in court, with Mulcahy confirming he had her personal mobile number.

A central part of his testimony focused on financial strain caused by repeated delays in payments from Aluko.

Mulcahy said the company faced severe cash flow problems by December 2013 and was close to collapse.

He told the court that after a promised £200,000 payment failed to arrive, Bear Rock withheld a Harrods delivery in storage to recover the debt. The money was paid shortly after.

The court heard that payment difficulties continued into 2014.

Mulcahy said unpaid bills were “ruining” the company and that he considered contacting Alison Madueke directly.

He said Aluko advised him to write a formal letter, which he hand delivered to her residence at St Edmund’s Terrace. A payment of £270,000 followed about a week later through Atlantic Energy.

Mulcahy also described a meeting arranged by Aluko at One Hyde Park, one of London’s most expensive addresses, saying it frustrated him given the outstanding debts.

Emails shown to the jury suggested that Aluko’s company, Tenka Limited, handled expenses for properties used by Alison Madueke, including staff wages, utilities and maintenance.

One internal email instructed staff to replace references to “Honourable Minister” with “Clients” in records.

Mulcahy said efforts to recover further debts through a lawyer later failed and that Bear Rock Construction eventually entered voluntary liquidation.

Alison Madueke is standing trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama, on five bribery related counts. All defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors allege that luxury property renovations, high end shopping and chauffeur services amounted to bribes from business figures seeking influence in Nigeria’s oil sector.

The defence has rejected the allegations, insisting the former minister had no direct power over oil contract awards and that the arrangements were lawful.