Sonatrach-Eni-Saipem scandal: Algerian officials obtained bribes from Saipem, investigating judges say

Italian Court of Milan postponed the preliminary hearing, which is the second of its kind, about the scandal of bribes and international corruption by Sonatrach, ENI and Saipem, or what is known as the bribes of 200 million euros, to the tenth of July, amid a massive protest by the defense of Farid Bedjaoui, about the charge against their client, at a time when the investigating judges confirmed before the Chairman of the session, that they have evidence and proof that Algerian government officials and politicians benefited from the money of those bribes.

Just as was the case for Algiers judicial council, which postponed the case of Sonatrach 1 to the next criminal session, as Milan court postponed the decision to refer the file of Sonatrach-ENI- Saipem scandal, and did not yet decide to refer the file to the pleadings, and decided to postpone the final decision to next July, 10, after ending the listening to the eight defendants and their defense.

According to what was leaked from the closed hearing session, the investigating judges, who worked on the case for years, gave the judge Alessandra Clemente, a number of directories and documents that they get over the four years of investigation, pointing out that among the several documents there are electronic messages  that were exchanged between those involved in the case and phone calls that have been intercepted, and financial operations in multiple banks which source were Saipem’s company accounts by which real estate were bought by some involved in the case.

Documents and new evidence, that were in possession of judges, Fabio Dessie Pasquale, Izodoro Palma and Giordano Baggio, prove that Algerian politicians obtained a part of the bribery, which is money from Saipem’s financial accounts, at the time Bedjaoui’s defense protested strongly on the charges against its client, refusing them altogether, according to the same leaks.

Judge Alessandra Clemente rejected the request of the civil party by Algerian citizens movement in France, and the coordination of associations to defend consumers in Italy, as the Italian Revenue Agency, Agenzia delle Entrate, which is a government body, was kept as a single civil party in the case, which reflects the diligent desire of Rome to restore a part of the bribes’ money at least.