Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, has separated himself from a suit against President Muhammadu Buhari government by a lobbyist, Johnmary Jideobi, over his prosecution in the United States.
The Abuja based legal counselor had hauled the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) under the watchful eye of a Federal High Court in Abuja over a supposed move to remove Onyema.
He mentioned for a request for the court controlling any office of government with prosecutorial controls as spoken to by AGF from endeavoring to utilize or trying to disturb, undermine, capture or welcome Onyema in connection to Civil Aviation contract he entered with American specialists through his organizations.
The essential human rights authorization suit against AGF was documented by Jideobi as a Concerned Nigerian Citizen.
In an announcement on Wednesday, Onyema’s legal advisors, A.O Alegeh and Co., said their customer had no deliver the suit.
The statement reads: “The attention of our client, Allen Onyema has been drawn to news reports now trending in the social media suggesting that an Abuja based Legal Practitioner, Mr. Johnmary C. Jideobi, has instituted an action in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1446/2019 – Johnmary C. Jideobi v. Federal Government of Nigeria & Ors at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, purportedly seeking the enforcement of our client’s fundamental human rights.
“We hereby state on behalf of our client, that at no time did he instruct the said Mr. Johnmary C. Jideobi to institute any action on his behalf in respect of the subject matter of the Indictment now pending against him in the United States of America. Our Client has no knowledge of the said action and did not consent to the filing of the same. As a matter of fact, Our Client does not know the said Mr. Johnmary C. Jideobi.”
Last Friday, the US Department of Justice said Onyema started venturing out every now and again to Atlanta, where he opened a few individual and business ledgers. Somewhere in the range of 2010 and 2018, over $44.9 million was supposedly moved into his Atlanta-based accounts from outside sources.
Taking note that Onyema established Air Peace in 2013 and in this manner made a trip to the United States to buy numerous planes for the carrier, the US Department of Justice said: “Over $3 million of the funds used to purchase the aircraft allegedly came from bank accounts for Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited, and Every Child Limited.
“Beginning in approximately May 2016, Onyema, together with Eghagha, allegedly used a series of export letters of credit to cause banks to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts controlled by Onyema. The letters of credit were purported to fund the purchase of five separate Boeing 737 passenger planes by Air Peace. The letters were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals proving that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.
“However, the supporting documents were fake — Springfield Aviation Company LLC, which is owned by Onyema and managed by a person with no connection to the aviation business, never owned the aircraft, and the company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist. Eghagha allegedly participated in this scheme as well, directing the Springfield Aviation manager to sign and send false documents to banks and even using the manager’s identity to further the fraud. After Onyema received the money in the United States, he allegedly laundered over $16 million of the proceeds of the fraud by transferring it to other accounts.
“Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 56, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 37, of Lagos, Nigeria, were indicted on November 19, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud, and three counts of credit application fraud. Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money laundering, and Eghagha was charged with one count of aggravated identity theft.”
The US Department of Justice reminded the public that the indictment includes only charges and that the defendants is presumed innocent of the charges, while proving the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt in the court will be the responsibility of the prosecution.
