Shell lays charges against former employee over suspected bribes in Nigeria
London — Royal Dutch Shell has filed a criminal complaint against a former employee over suspected bribes in the sale of a Nigerian onshore oil field in 2011, shedding more light on the company’s activities in the oil-rich West African country. The suspected wrongdoing was unrelated to a court case against the Anglo-Dutch company and Eni in Italy over the acquisition of a different Nigerian oil field, known as OPL 245, a Shell spokesman said on Wednesday. "Based on what we know now from an internal investigation, we suspect a crime may have been committed by our former employee … against Shell in relation to the sale process for Oil Mining Lease (OML) 42 in Nigeria," the spokesman said. "We have filed a criminal complaint with the Dutch authorities and are considering other steps we could take." Shell sold its stake in OML 42, an ageing onshore oil field in the Niger Delta, to Nigerian firm Neconde Energy in February 2011. Neconde Energy was not immediately available to comment. As ...
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