Milan, Italy (Naija247news / Reuters) — An Italian appeals court in Brescia has upheld an eight-month prison sentence for two Milan prosecutors, Fabio De Pasquale and Sergio Spadaro, over their handling of evidence in the landmark corruption trial involving Eni and Shell’s $1.3 billion acquisition of Nigeria’s OPL 245 oilfield.
The court found that the prosecutors failed to file crucial documents that could have supported Eni’s defense during the international corruption proceedings — a case once described as the biggest in the global oil industry.
Despite the prosecutors’ omission, both Eni (ENI.MI) and Shell (SHEL.L) — along with all the defendants — were acquitted in March 2021 of corruption allegations related to the oilfield deal struck over a decade ago.
Court Ruling and Defense
Judges in Brescia confirmed that De Pasquale and Spadaro violated their legal obligation by withholding a video filmed by a former external lawyer for Eni. The footage, the court said, was relevant and potentially exculpatory in the defense’s argument.
Before the ruling, prosecutor Spadaro defended his actions in court, insisting that “there was no refusal, there was no omission”, and that he and his colleague acted “according to conscience and law.”
Their attorney, Massimo Dinoia, announced that the two prosecutors will appeal the decision to the Court of Cassation, Italy’s highest judicial authority.
Background: The OPL 245 Scandal
The OPL 245 case revolves around a 2011 deal in which Eni and Shell jointly paid $1.3 billion to acquire the massive offshore block from Malabu Oil & Gas, a firm linked to former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Dan Etete.
The payment, prosecutors alleged, was largely diverted as kickbacks to Nigerian officials and middlemen — accusations both energy giants strongly denied.
In 2021, a Milan court acquitted all defendants, declaring that “no corruption occurred”, effectively clearing Eni and Shell of wrongdoing after years of international scrutiny.
Next Steps
De Pasquale and Spadaro will remain in active service while the appeals process continues. The Brescia court’s jurisdiction covers judicial oversight of Milan-based prosecutors and judges.
The case underscores ongoing tensions within Italy’s judiciary over prosecutorial conduct in high-profile international corruption trials, particularly those involving global energy companies and resource deals in developing economies.
Analysis: What It Means for Nigeria
The upheld verdict indirectly revives attention to Nigeria’s controversial OPL 245 oil block, a symbol of lost transparency and complex international litigation.
While Italy’s courts have cleared the oil giants, Nigerian authorities continue to face public pressure to ensure accountability in the management of national oil assets and recover funds lost through flawed contracts.
Reporting by Emilio Parodi (Reuters) | Edited by Gavin Jones | Adapted for Naija247news
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Reporting by Naija247news in Lagos, Nigeria.
