Air Peace has said that Allen Onyema, its chief executive officer (CEO), and Ejiroghene Eghagha, its chief of administration and finance, will be acquitted from the allegations levied against them by the US.
In a superseding indictment, the US attorney’s office, Northern District of Georgia, stated Onyema and Eghagha allegedly tendered fake documents to end a federal investigation against them.
“After allegedly using his airline company as a cover to commit fraud on the United States’ banking system, Onyema, along with his co-defendant, allegedly committed additional crimes of fraud in a failed attempt to derail the government’s investigation of his conduct,” Ryan Buchanan of the US attorney’s office had said.
Both men (Onyema and Eghagha) have been under investigation for alleged money laundering since the year 2019.
Whilst Onyema is accused of transferring over $20 million from Nigeria through US bank accounts in a scheme involving “false documents” to buy airplanes, Eghagha is said to have committed aggravated identity theft in connection with the ruse.
But in a statement issued on Sunday, Air Peace described the claims against Onyema and Eghagha as “mere allegations”.
“Our legal team is fully engaged with the matter and is working tirelessly to ensure that justice prevails,” the company said.
“We remain confident that, through due process, the truth will be revealed, and our CEO and co-defendant will be exonerated.
“It is important to note that Dr. Onyema and his legal team have consistently cooperated with authorities throughout this process, and Air Peace continues to operate without disruption, upholding our commitment to delivering top-notch services to our valued customers.”
The company added that the legal proceedings would not have any impact on its day-to-day operations.