An Italian appeals court has overturned jail sentences handed down to a Nigerian, Emeka Obi and Italian Gianluca Di Nardo for their role in a corruption case involving Eni and Shell in Nigeria.
The two energy companies have been in a long-running case revolving around the acquisition of a Nigerian oilfield for about $1.3 billion since March 2021.
This was disclosed by three judges after taking a decision behind closed doors on Thursday. While reading out the judgement to reporters afterwards, they quashed the convictions and said there was no case to answer, according to Reuters.
The judges dismissed the charges against the companies and defendants, saying there was no case to answer.
The three judges also lifted orders seizing assets worth $98.4 million from Obi and more than 21 million Swiss francs ($23 million) from Di Nardo.
What you should know
Obi and Di Nardo who were accused of being middlemen and taking illegal kickbacks were convicted in a fast-track trial back in 2018, separate from the main one. They were both sentenced to four years in jail, but were yet to commence the sentence.
Under Italian law a fast-track trial, which is based only on documents with no hearings or witnesses, allows sentences to be cut by a third.
“An unjust sentence by the court of first instance conditioned by a macroscopic violation of the law,” Obi’s lawyer Roberto Pisano said, referring to the original conviction.
Earlier this month Italy’s justice ministry ordered an inquiry into the conduct of two prosecutors in the main case involving Eni and Shell.