‘Kickbacks’ trial of oil giants Eni, Shell delayed in Nigeria

A TRIAL for oil giants Eni and Shell over alleged kickbacks paid during the purchase of an offshore oil field in Nigeria was pushed back to June 20 yesterday pending a ruling on an appeal made by Shell.

Eni chief executive Claudio Descalzi, his predecessor, Paolo Scaroni, and several managers from Eni and Shell are among those to go on trial, as is Nigeria’s former oil minister, Dan Etete.

Eni and Shell are accused of handing out bribes during the 2011 purchase of OPL245, an offshore oil block estimated to hold nine billion barrels of crude, for $1.3-billion (about R16-billion).

The agreement allegedly saw Nigeria’s then president, Goodluck Jonathan, and Etete pocket bribes, according to corruption watchdog Global Witness.

Global Witness said the deal resulted in $1.1-billion (R13.5-billion) being paid into an account in London opened by Nigerian government officials that went directly to Etete. The Nigerian government received only $210-million (R2.6-billion).

The 2011 deal aimed to end years of litigation over the OPL245 block between Shell and Etete’s Oil and Gas Malabu company. Both companies deny paying bribes.

The trial had originally been set to start in a Milan court in March.

The second delay comes pending a ruling on an appeal by Shell set for June 12 concerning the legality of a decision regarding its defendants.