Italian oil group Eni has dismissed accusations over purported involvement in corrupt practices regarding the award of oil contracts in Iraq and Kuwait, saying on Wednesday it was the injured party in the affair, according to Reuters.
Milan prosecutors have opened an investigation into bribes Italian engineering and construction companies are alleged to have paid Eni’s top executives to win contracts for works at Iraq’s Zubair oilfield and Kuwait’s Jurassic Field.
“Eni is the injured party in the investigation,” a company spokesman said when asked about a report on the investigation in Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper.
Eni won contracts for the two oilfields in 2010 and had the power to assign part of the works to other companies.
A judicial source contacted by Reuters confirmed the contents of the report.
The paper said some of Eni’s top managers were under investigation along with the company itself which, under Italian rules, can be held responsible for any supervisory failures.
On Tuesday, tax police raided offices and private homes in various Italian cities as well as in Switzerland, Great Britain and Israel, the paper said.
