Eni Nigeria trial, Milan court acquitted all 15 accused: including Descalzi and Scaroni. ‘The truth does not exist’

“The The truth does not existIt is the formula used by the Milan governors All accused acquitted In the alleged process International corruption Linked to the acquisition by Eni H Coincidence Excavation rights for the oil block Opl 245 at Nigeria. He was the main culprit Claudio Descalzi, Director general EniIn opinion with his predecessor and current president of AC Milan, Paolo Scaroni. The sentence is up to 5 years from the date of referral to trial ordered by the judge at the preliminary hearing, and less than three years from the start of the trial. In total, the defendants were 15 years old and they were all I disowned.

Forgiveness – The judgment was issued by the seventh criminal division, composed of judges Marco TremuladaAnd the Mauro GalinaAnd the Alberto Carboni After six hours in the board room. Reasons will be presented within 90 days. In particular, the judges acquitted CEO Eni Descalzi, at the time DJ Exploration & Production, formerly number one Scaroni, former director of operations for the San Donato Group in sub-Saharan Africa. Roberto CasulaThe former director of the Italian company in the African country is a major accused. Vincenzo Armana, Former Director of Nae, an Eni subsidiary in Nigeria, Cerro Antonio Pagano, Former Nigerian Oil Minister Dan Etette. Then again Luigi Pesignani, The Russians Adnan Ajayev H Gianfranco Valcione, The last businessman and former deputy consul in Nigeria, and former president of the Shell Foundation Malcolm Brend And former executives of the Dutch company Peter RobinsonAnd the Jay Jonathan Colgate H John Cobblestone. The two accused companies were also acquitted under the Entities Administrative Liability Law. With acquittals, of course, there is no compensation for the Nigerian government, which was a civil party. Already on trial on this case Saipem AlgeriaWhere the accusation was always of international corruption, Eni, Scaroni himself, along with another former director of the company, has already been permanently acquitted. Final patent also received by Saipem and its directors. In the case of Nigeria, on the other hand, the presumed middlemen are subject to short procedures Obi Emeka H Gianluca Di Nardo Sentenced to 4 years imprisonment.

the operation – The essence of the debate is the assumption of a bribe from $ 1.092 billion Which were paid according to the indictment Eni H Coincidence On concession in 2011 by the Nigerian government for exploration rights on Opl24 offshore oil field. One hypothesis is that the prosecutor is Sergio Spadaro and his assistant Fabio de Pasquale The defendants and the companies rejected it, calling it “inconsistent.” The prosecution had demanded that Scaroni and Descalzi be imprisoned for 8 years, and 10 years for Etate. For Eni and Shell, the defendants on the basis of the Entity Liability Act, the Milan public prosecutor demanded a fine of 900,000 euros for each and was forfeited along with all the defendants of $ 1.092 billion, equivalent to the value of a bribe assumed by the Milan investigators. The firm’s attorneys have always defended themselves by stating that the contract was signed with the Nigerian government and that the money was paid in London bank account On behalf of the Executive Authority of Nigeria. All defenses have always declared their clients innocent.

reactions – “finally a Claudio Descalzi Its professional reputation has been restored and its role as a great company is restored to Eni, ”comments the attorney Paula SeverinoDefender of the CEO of the oil company. “We are very happy. The centrality of the trial in this case was reconfirmed. The public prosecution’s thesis was verified in a trial that lasted three years and was deemed unfounded, which is what we have always believed.” Enrico de CastiglioneScaroni, attorney, who specifies that the director “has been on trial for 12 years for various reasons and has always been acquitted at all levels of judgment and always in full form. Hopefully he is.” Above this barbarism “. The Six-Legged Dog Company released a statement expressing their “Special” Gratification To rule the innocence in the full form. The court’s decision finally established, after nearly three years of debate, that the company and the CEO, Claudio Descalzi, and the management involved in the proceedings, had maintained completely legal and correct conduct. ”A statement from Shell, signed by the CEO, also arrived. Ben van Bearden: “We have always confirmed that the 2011 agreement was legitimate, aimed at resolving a ten-year legal dispute and resuming development of the Opl245 block. At the same time, it was a difficult experience for us. Shell is a company that works with integrity and we work hard every day to ensure that our actions not only follow the letter and spirit of the law, but also live up to the company’s broadest expectations from us. ”

Renzi and the League rejoice – No comment from the prosecutor while the politicians cheer, too. Descalzi and Scaroni were acquitted of the Eni-Nigeria case because the fact that does not exist shows that Truth is stronger than justice. Proud to have always defended the great Eni family from the violent attacks of some parties and some editorial headlines, ” writes on Twitter the leader of Italy Alive Matteo Renzi. The League shares the position of the former Prime Minister. From Carroccio’s sources, a great relief emerged for the acquittal of Descalzi and Scaroni. Without prejudice to the good reputation of a large Italian company and thousands of workers, they say – without official press releases – by Bellerio.

Story stages- In the midst of the operation, the license that the six-legged dog and the Dutch giant Shell bought to exploit the oil block Opl-245, in the sea stretch in Gulf of Guinea About 150 km from the mainland. A very wealthy field, “only” $ 1.3 billion was paid for. Deductible amount So short By Milan investigators, given the value of the region, which led them to suspect the existence of the two companies Corrupt local politicians. Eni and Shell, to the Public Prosecution Office, would have paid a maximum bribe to obtain this license One billion and 92 million dollars. Sum of that, after a series of bank transfers – via the Nigerian company Malabo Oil & Gas – It would have ended up in owner Dan Etate’s pockets already Minister of Oil, And from there to other Nigerian and Italian politicians and officials. The case began in 1998, when the government was a military Sani Abacha – In power since 1993 – The concession of the Opl-245 oil field was granted to Malabo, in which then Minister Eitit and one of the sons of Abacha were partners. With the death of Abasha and the move to A. Democratic governmentThe license granted to Malabo is also in question. In 2002 Shell won it through tender, With a $ 210 million bonus offer to start exploring. Immediate appeals by ex-Minister Etty, who in 2006 obtained reinstatement of the license to Malabo. Shell launched international arbitration and in 2010 Eni also entered the scene by signing an agreement with Nigeria to acquire the 40% of the license, Leaving the remaining 60% in Malabo. However, the negotiations suffered another setback due to another change of government: Nigeria’s new oil minister, Desani Madwiki, Decided to grant the full license to Malabo without observing the agreement concluded with Eni. An unexpected turning point prompted Eni and Shell to attempt a path of joint negotiations, this time with the then Minister of Justice Muhammad Adok Bello. The agreement was reached in April 2011: the two companies agreed to pay Nigeria $ 1.3 billion – $ 1.1 billion from Eni plus a signing bonus already paid by Shell – for the Opl oilfield license. -245.

Investigations – Is it all over after that? never. In London court, Nigerian lawyer Emeka Obi He demanded to pay $ 215 million – he would receive about $ 110 million – for his role as a middleman. It is enough for the English judges to decide to prevent a Trusted account From the Nigerian government it was opened to JP Morgan in London, where Eni paid one billion and 100 million dollars. From that account, meanwhile, bank transfers to $ 801 million, Which after a long tour between banks in Lebanon and Switzerland, ended up in Etete’s Malabu. In 2013, three NGOs on the front lines of fighting corruption became aware of the story – Global WitnessAnd the Corner house And the Italian Reply: Common – who reported everything to the Milan prosecutor’s office. In 2013, the Deputy Prosecutor General Fabio de Pasquale opened an international corruption file and in 2017 the trial began. The latest development came a few weeks ago, with the reopening of the trial, at Prosecutor’s request, which obtained two emails already attached with a penalty For the High Court of London In a civil lawsuit between Nigeria and JP Morgan. One is in particular, dated June 2011, because the prosecution will establish the existence of a corruption pact between the leaders of Eni and Shell, Nigerian politicians and prominent personalities. Lawyers for Eni and Shell have repeatedly asserted that the two oil giants were unaware that an amount of money was earmarked for Etete and even less that the former oil minister would distribute it to Nigerian politicians and dignitaries. The judges certified him.