President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Sunday, November 24, 2019, expressed her satisfaction with the indictment of the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, via a series of tweets.
Onochie said the United States laws are only targeted at those who flout them and therefore advised Onyema to go to the United States to clear his name.
The Air Peace boss is believed to have worked as a consultant for the Niger Delta amnesty programme in charge of training repentant militants and the President’s aide lamented the manner in which funds meant for the amnesty programme were diverted into private pockets.
Onochie said, “I do not understand what President Buhari has to do with Mr Onyema of Air Peace being indicted and charged in the USA. According to our attorney-general, the Federal Government has not even been informed of the situation.
“American laws go after those who break them. What a man sows… How much has Nigeria invested in the Niger Delta amnesty programme, NDDC and 13 per cent derivation funds? All, mostly in a black hole (sic).
“Do we know the extent of poverty, ignorance and disease in the Niger Delta? Please let America too help us see how Niger Delta underdeveloped Niger Delta. Those of us from the Niger Delta who are the direct beneficiaries of the sufferings that emanated from the looting of our wealth will tackle them. It is our war that is being fought.
“Laws, Nigerian or American, go after those who break them so we must mind our business. QED! We are smarter now than ever before. Gradually, the scales of tribalism, religious affinity and political loyalty are falling off our eyes and being replaced by Nigerianism. Nigerians are not keen on tales by moonlight. Let him return to America to face his accusers.”
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Onyema, who was praised nationwide for helping to evacuate Nigerian victims of xenophobia from South Africa, was indicted last Friday, November 23, 2019 for allegedly laundering suspicious funds in excess of $20m in the US.
His associate, Ejiroghene Eghagha, was also indicted.
They were accused of conniving to commit money laundering and bank fraud for several years.
Meanwhile, Nigerian youths, under the auspices of Nigerian Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders Forum, on Sunday, warned the American government of the dangers of depriving Onyema his fundamental human rights of fair hearing, but instead said there was the need to employ the principles of international relations and diplomacy in the alleged financial fraud by the business mogul, Punch reports.
This is even as the youths said Onyema’s alleged financial fraud and indictment in the US was orchestrated by his business rivals in the aviation industry, who were not comfortable with the feats he had achieved in the sector over the years.
In a statement signed by the group’s Chairman, Alhaji Shettima Yerima; Secretary General, Oladotun Hassan; Deputy Chairman, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro; and Publicity Secretary, Barr Pereotubo Oweilaemi, respectively, the youths added that there was a conspiracy between Onyeama’s business rivals in Nigeria and some American collaborators.
The statement read in part, “We have been following with keen interest the conflicting narratives coming out of the United States regarding the purported indictment of Nigeria’s foremost philanthropist, Mr Allen Ifeanyichukwu Athan Onyema.
“As law-abiding citizens, we recognise the involvement of the US Court and would not want to take a prejudicial stand on the matter. But much as we appreciate the involvement of judiciary through the office of the US Attorney, we feel there is a compelling reason to question this sudden purported indictment of a Nigerian who has been doing business for decades in the US, and for many years he has never been found wanting until now. This raises fundamental questions about the bad timing and the growing suspicion of many Nigerians over the motive behind targeting our own distinguished Allen Ifeanyichukwu Onyema: a detribalised Nigerian per excellence.
“We are beginning to see a pattern that portends more of smacks of conspiracy by his business rivals in Nigeria, working together with their American and other foreign collaborators to rubbish one of the few outstanding philanthropists in Nigeria.
“Onyema Allen has since built a long standing reputation of a peace promoter who brokered peace between the late President Yar’Adua-led Federal Government and militants of the Niger-Delta, using his well-known platform of peace and reconciliation, beyond Niger-Delta, Onyema has left his indefatigable footprint as a patriotic man dedicated to the service of Nigeria and Nigerians in difficult situations at various points in time, using his hard-earned income and God given wealth of wisdom.
“It smacks of grand conspiracy to see how the man is being prejudicially molested, pushed and pulled in many directions with accusations yet to be determined via fair hearing trial by any court of competent jurisdiction in his fatherland, much less that of the United States.”
Onyema risks 20 years’ imprisonment
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, risks a fine of up to $500,000 and/or 20 years’ imprisonment, if found guilty of the charges of “bank fraud and money laundering” levelled against him by United States authorities.
The airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, was also charged with bank fraud and committing aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.
Onyema, who has since denied the allegations, was charged for “moving more than $20m from Nigeria through United States bank accounts in a scheme involving false documents based on the purchase of airplanes.”
According to the charge sheet, Onyema, 56, and Eghagha, 37, 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.
Under Section 1956 ‘Laundering of monetary instruments’ of Title 18 of the United States Code, which deals with federal crimes and criminal procedure, a maximum fine of $500,000 and/or a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison is stipulated for money laundering.
The provisions are as follows: “(a) (1) Whoever, knowing that the property involved in a financial transaction represents the proceeds of some form of unlawful activity, conducts or attempts to conduct such a financial transaction which in fact involves the proceeds of specified unlawful activity-
“(A) (i) with the intent to promote the carrying on of specified unlawful activity; or
“(ii) with intent to engage in conduct constituting a violation of section 7201 or 7206 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
“(B) knowing that the transaction is designed in whole or in part-
(i) to conceal or disguise the nature, the location, the source, the ownership, or the control of the proceeds of specified unlawful activity; or
“(ii) to avoid a transaction reporting requirement under State or Federal law, shall be sentenced to a fine of not more than $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, or imprisonment for not more than 20 years, or both.”
The allegations also included how Onyema facilitated fraudulent letters of credit to American banks to procure aircraft, equipment and luxury goods.
Yetunde Adegoke
