Court orders Jay Jay Okocha’s arrest over alleged tax fraud

A Lagos High Court, on Thursday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of a former Super Eagles international, Austin Okocha, popularly known as Jay Jay Okocha, for failure to appear in court severally to answer questions on why he has allegedly failed to pay his income taxes.

The prosecutor, Dr Jide Martins, had on June 6, 2017, filed the charge.

The case came up for the first time on Oct. 5, 2017, but the defendant did not appear in court.

The prosecutor had told the court that the defendant had failed to furnish the Lagos State Internal Revenue Services, with a return of income for tax purposes.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 56 (a) and (b) of the Lagos State Revenue Administration Law No.8, 2006, and Section 94 (1) of the Personal Income Tax Act Cap P8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Justice Adedayo Akintoye, on January 29 issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the football star.

However, the prosecution failed to effect the arrest at the resumed hearing, leading the court to order that the warrant should be executed after the Presidential elections.

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