Shell entangled in Nigerian oil trial

OIL majors Shell and Eni, and ex-bosses at both firms, are due to stand trial in Italy over alleged corruption over an £800m field in Nigeria.

Former Shell director Malcolm Brinded, 64, who was given a CBE in 2002 for services to the oil and gas industry, is among 15 accused, including Eni’s chief executive Claudio Descalzi.

Prosecutors say a large part of around £800m paid by Shell and Eni in 2011 was distributed as bribes. Brinded, head of Shell’s upstream international division at the time of the alleged payments, has denied wrongdoing.

He is president of the Energy Institute, a professional body for the industry. Anti-corruption campaigner group Global Witness said the trial, set to begin on March 5, will be the biggest corporate bribery trial in history.

Brinded said there was no basis for the charges against him. Shell said it believed judges will conclude there is no case against it or its staff.