The management of Air Peace has stated that its Chief Executive Officer, Allen Onyema, remains innocent in the series of charges levelled against him by the United States Department of Justice.
The airline noted that while the case involving its CEO and the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, is still in court, such will not affect its daily operations, according to a statement signed by the airline’s management on Sunday and posted on its X handle.
The statement, titled, “Reassurance regarding recent US DOJ report,” noted that the charges levelled against the duo are “part of an extended legal process stemming from earlier accusations of financial misdeeds that date back several years.
“While the charges have been expanded, it is essential to emphasise that both Dr Onyema and Mrs Eghagha remain innocent and these are mere allegations, and the case is still in court.”
The airline asserted that its legal team is currently on top of the matter, as it’s confident that, “through due process, the truth will be revealed, and our CEO and co-defendant will be exonerated.”
It also assured the public that “these legal proceedings will not affect the safety, reliability or the day-to-day operations of Air Peace.”
In a superseding indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia accused Onyema and Eghagha of submitting false documents in a bid to thwart a federal investigation into their activities.
The duo have been under scrutiny since 2019 for alleged money laundering. The Air Peace CEO is accused of moving over $20 million from Nigeria through US bank accounts using fraudulent documents under the guise of purchasing aeroplanes.
Eghagha is also facing charges of aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.