The management of Air Peace has issued a statement reaffirming the innocence of its Chief Executive Officer, Allen Onyema, regarding the allegations leveled against him by the United States Department of Justice.
The airline emphasized that the case, which also involves its Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, is still pending in court.
In a statement titled “Reassurance regarding recent US DOJ report” posted on its X handle on Sunday, Air Peace clarified that the charges against Onyema and Eghagha are part of an ongoing legal process stemming from earlier accusations of financial irregularities dating back several years.
“While the charges have been expanded, it is essential to emphasize that both Dr. Onyema and Mrs. Eghagha remain innocent, and these are mere allegations, and the case is still in court,” the statement read.
Air Peace assured the public that its legal team is actively addressing the matter and expressed confidence that “through due process, the truth will be revealed, and our CEO and co-defendant will be exonerated.”
The airline also reassured its customers and stakeholders that the ongoing legal proceedings will not impact its daily operations, safety, or reliability. “These legal proceedings will not affect the safety, reliability, or day-to-day operations of Air Peace,” the statement said.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia had filed a superseding indictment accusing Onyema and Eghagha of submitting false documents to obstruct a federal investigation into their activities.
Onyema has been under scrutiny since 2019 for allegedly laundering over $20 million from Nigeria through US bank accounts using fraudulent documents under the guise of purchasing aircraft.
Additionally, Eghagha faces charges of aggravated identity theft in connection with the alleged scheme.
The allegations against Onyema and Eghagha have been ongoing since 2019, with the US Department of Justice accusing Onyema of moving millions of dollars through US bank accounts using fraudulent documents.
