On Friday 2 March, Reuters reported that the criminal trial in Italy against Royal Dutch Shell and Eni executives in relation to the OPL 245 oil deal due to start Monday, 5th March, has been transferred to another court in Milan, thereby delaying the proceedings.
Yesterday, 4 March, the UK Guardian newspaper published an article Oil deal corruption trial in Italy is ‘wake-up call for industry‘ indicating the trial is still commencing on Monday 5 March. It says that Shell’s Malcolm Brinded is due in court. It also mentions the involvement of Shell executive John Copleston, one of the former MI6 employees hired by Shell.
Another article published on 4 March OPL 245 also says the trial will commence on Monday, 5 March: OPL 245: Trial of Shell, Eni Executives Begins Monday in Milan Court
Anti-corruption bodies, including Global Witness, that played a key role in exposing the original scandal, fear that history may be about to repeat itself, with current astonishing machinations involving the current Nigerian Attorney General Abubakar Malami in relation to the same oil deal.