Canadian authorities have commenced efforts to execute a corresponding arrest warrant issued for Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace Limited in Nigeri
Canadian authorities have commenced efforts to execute a corresponding arrest warrant issued for Allen Onyema, chairman of Air Peace Limited in Nigeria, accused of fraud in the United States.
Onyema, is facing multiple charges of money laundering and bank fraud in excess of $20 million. A United States grand jury recently indicted him and Ejiroghene Eghagha, the airline’s head of finance and administration. Both suspects have denied the allegations in a statement and indicated their determination to fight the charges in court.
Although Onyema and Eghagha are currently believed to be in Nigeria, judges in the U.S. have been issuing warrants for their arrest. According to PREMIUM TIMES, on September 5, Russell Vineyard, a magistrate at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, issued a corresponding warrant of arrest for Onyema and Eghagha in Canada.
American prosecutors had sought the warrant to enable Canadian law enforcement authorities take the suspects into custody if sighted in their jurisdiction as part of a longstanding tradition on cross-border crimes. Similarly, on November 19, Justin Anand, a magistrate at the same district, issued a separate warrant against Onyema an Eghagha for their arrest in the United States, especially by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Although the major aspects of the alleged fraud were committed in the U.S., some of the bank accounts used in some of the suspicious transactions were domiciled in Canada.
Even though the U.S. and Nigeria have an extradition agreement, it is unclear whether American authorities have filed extradition requests for Onyema and Eghagha based on the court warrants.
American prosecutors said the two connived to launder funds and defraud American banks with falsified letters of credit for aircraft and equipment purchases. The indictment leveled serious charges of money laundering and foreign exchange fraud against the individuals.
Already, several companies which the U.S. authorities alleged Mr Onyema set up to carry out fraudulent transactions between Nigerian and American banks have had their bank accounts frozen. At least $14.2million has been confiscated in three bank accounts run by Onyema’s companies in the U.S. and Canada. A final forfeiture of the funds is being pursued as part of the charges against the airline executives.
