Two oil executives have denied paying bribes to former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, a court has been told.
Statements made by Kevin Okyere and Igho Sanomi to UK investigators were read out in Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.
The men are part of a group of industry insiders who are alleged to have bankrolled spending sprees and luxury home stays by Alison-Madueke, 65. None of them have been charged in this case and they have not appeared in person at court.
Alison-Madueke denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery. She has said the cost of services laid on for her while on official duties was later repaid.
In a written statement given to National Crime Agency (NCA) investigators in June 2016, Ghanian businessman Okyere said he had paid for items bought at Peter Jones by Alison-Madueke two years earlier after bumping into her at the tills and seeing she did not have enough money.
