Shell to be prosecuted for bribery in Nigeria

A criminal case is being prepared against Dutch oil and gas giant Shell. The company is suspected of paying bribes for the exploitation rights of an oil field off the coast of Nigeria, Shell said on its website and the Dutch Public Prosecutor confirmed to NOS.

The Prosecutor told NOS that the investigation is almost complete and they are working on the criminal prosecution of Shell.

This case involves the acquisition of the rights to oil field OPL-245. Shell, together with Italian energy group Eni, paid 1.3 billion euros for these rights in 2011.

Shell and Eni always denied that bribery was involved. But an Italian court already ruled that both companies knew the money was being channeled to the company of a controversial former oil minister in Nigeria.

The Italian courts already convicted multiple people in this case, according to NOS.