SWISS RULING PAVES WAY FOR DOCUMENTS TO BE SHARED IN NIGERIA OIL BRIBERY CASE

Switzerland’s top court - Federal Tribunal has rejected an appeal by Nigerian defendant Emeka Obi to prevent his bag from being unsealed. Lausanne court’s Nov. 8 ruling, states that the confiscated materials could have “potential pertinence” in the criminal investigation and the sealing could be lifted without violating Swiss law. Consequently, the Geneva prosecutor now has access to all the confiscated materials in conformity with the Federal Tribunal ruling and is currently reviewing the materials in order to decide what can be shared with Italian authorities in a case involving oil majors Eni and Royal Dutch Shell and corrupt payments in Nigeria.