Nigeria: Judge says Shell, Eni knew of OPL 245 payoffs

An Italian judge has said Royal Dutch Shell and Eni were “fully aware” that part of the funds paid for OPL 245 would have been used to pay off Nigerian officials involved in the deal. Milan judge Giusy Barbara was giving written reasons for the conviction in September of Nigerian Emeka Obi and Italian Gianluca Di Nardo, both middlemen in the OPL 245 deal, for corruption. The pair were sentenced to four years in jail.