There was confusion at an Italian court Monday as two lawyers purportedly representing the Nigerian government surfaced in the trial of Shell and Eni executives over alleged corruption in Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that although the Italian court postponed to May 14 the start of the trial, one of the lawyers, a certain Mr. Sedu, declared his intention not to ask for damages from Eni.
PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday reported the expected postponement of the trial and possible transfer to another court.
The trial was originally expected to start on Monday but sources said the court might not be able to deal with the case because it had too many other cases.
The case involves the 2011 purchase by Eni and Shell of Nigeria of Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oilfield – one of Africa’s most valuable oil blocks – for about $1.3 billion.
Milan prosecutors alleged that bribes were paid to win the license to explore the field, which has never entered into production.
A former petroleum minister, Dan Etete, and a former Attorney-General, Bello Adoke, are amongst several Nigerians indicted in the deal, which was approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Shell and Eni’s Nigerian subsidiary, Agip, are among those already being prosecuted in Nigeria, although they have denied wrongdoing.
A Milan judge ruled in December that the companies, along with present and past executives, would face trial.[b]There was confusion at an Italian court Monday as two lawyers purportedly representing the Nigerian government surfaced in the trial of Shell and Eni executives over alleged corruption in Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that although the Italian court postponed to May 14 the start of the trial, one of the lawyers, a certain Mr. Sedu, declared his intention not to ask for damages from Eni.
PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday reported the expected postponement of the trial and possible transfer to another court.
The trial was originally expected to start on Monday but sources said the court might not be able to deal with the case because it had too many other cases.
The case involves the 2011 purchase by Eni and Shell of Nigeria of Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oilfield – one of Africa’s most valuable oil blocks – for about $1.3 billion.
Milan prosecutors alleged that bribes were paid to win the license to explore the field, which has never entered into production.
A former petroleum minister, Dan Etete, and a former Attorney-General, Bello Adoke, are amongst several Nigerians indicted in the deal, which was approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Shell and Eni’s Nigerian subsidiary, Agip, are among those already being prosecuted in Nigeria, although they have denied wrongdoing.
A Milan judge ruled in December that the companies, along with present and past executives, would face trial.[/b]There was confusion at an Italian court Monday as two lawyers purportedly representing the Nigerian government surfaced in the trial of Shell and Eni executives over alleged corruption in Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that although the Italian court postponed to May 14 the start of the trial, one of the lawyers, a certain Mr. Sedu, declared his intention not to ask for damages from Eni.
PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday reported the expected postponement of the trial and possible transfer to another court.
The trial was originally expected to start on Monday but sources said the court might not be able to deal with the case because it had too many other cases.
The case involves the 2011 purchase by Eni and Shell of Nigeria of Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oilfield – one of Africa’s most valuable oil blocks – for about $1.3 billion.
Milan prosecutors alleged that bribes were paid to win the license to explore the field, which has never entered into production.
A former petroleum minister, Dan Etete, and a former Attorney-General, Bello Adoke, are amongst several Nigerians indicted in the deal, which was approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Shell and Eni’s Nigerian subsidiary, Agip, are among those already being prosecuted in Nigeria, although they have denied wrongdoing.
A Milan judge ruled in December that the companies, along with present and past executives, would face trial.