SHEL Shell Plc

By Jaime Llinares Taboada

The Netherlands' Public Prosecutor's Office said Thursday that it has dismissed a criminal investigation into bribery by Shell PLC in Nigeria.

The Dutch criminal prosecution body said it has dropped the probe against Shell after the same case in Italy ended in an irrevocable acquittal for the energy giant.

Shell said in a statement that the case should have never been brought, and that it welcomed the decision by the Dutch authorities.

"The Milan Public Prosecutor acknowledged that there was no evidence of a corrupt agreement or corrupt payments, that this case should end because it has no foundations, and that the defendants have the right to see the end of criminal proceedings, having endured seven years of suffering," the company said.

Shell hadn't yet been summoned to appear in the Netherlands as the investigation hadn't been completed yet. The final judgment in Italy makes it impossible for the Dutch Public Prosecutor to issue a summons, it said.

Write to Jaime Llinares Taboada at jaime.llinares@wsj.com; @JaimeLlinaresT

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 21, 2022 10:10 ET (14:10 GMT)

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