Shell to face trial over claims of misleading evidence in Nigerian oil spill lawsuit

A UK High Court has ruled that allegations of false or misleading witness evidence given by Shell during earlier proceedings can be examined ahead of the full trial of a long-running oil pollution case brought by two Niger Delta communities, according to Premium Times.

The disputed evidence, given between 2016 and 2021, was presented as Shell sought to have the case, brought by the Bille communities, dismissed from English courts. The UK Supreme Court had rejected Shell’s jurisdiction arguments in 2021. Leigh Day, the law firm representing the communities, said the claimants are seeking aggravated damages, alleging Shell knowingly relied on misleading evidence. The full trial is scheduled for May 2027.