$1.1b Malabu oil deal: Italian govt files charges against Etete, others

The government of Italy has issued interest to file criminal charges against a former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete, for his alleged role in the $1.1 billion Malabu oil deal.
Recall that the federal government filed a criminal charge against Etete, former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN and six others over USD1.1b Malabu oil deal.

According to a source, charges have been filed against the former petroleum minister in Milan, the Italian Capital.
Etete is expected to be charged alongside 12 others for criminal conspiracy is one Chukwuemeka Obi, whose company, EVP laid claim to about $110 million of the $1.1 billion paid by Shell and Eni for OPL 245.
The money is currently alleged to be trapped in Switzerland where it has been frozen by a court.

Mr. Obi sued Malabu for the $110 million in London which he said was his entitlement for helping to facilitate the deal between the oil majors and Malabu.
In July 2013, the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division presided by Lady Justice Gloster ruled in favor of Mr. Obi that he was entitled to “a fee of 8.5% of the total disposal consideration of $1.3 billion.
Others listed in the charge include DescaJzi Claudio, the CEO of Eni; his predecessor, Paolo Scaroni; Roberto Casula, Armanna Vincenzo, Antonio Pagano, Ednan Agaev, Luigi Bisignani and Falcioni Gianfranco.
Italian prosecutors are also charging Eni and Royal Dutch Shell for their involvement in the deal as multinational firms.
In the charge, it is alleged that Italian oil giant, Eni, may have received $50 million bribe from the $1.1 billion the company and Shell paid into a Nigerian government account in 2011.