Admin l Monday, April 01, 2019
IGBOSERE, Lagos, Nigeria – A Lagos high court sitting in Igbosere today renewed the bench warrant earlier issued on Nollywood star, Monalisa Chinda-Coker over tax fraud. Justice Adedayo Akintoye renewed the order following her failure to appear in court since 2017.
At the hearing today, neither the actress nor her counsel was in court when the matter was called. Prosecuting counsel Babatunde Sumonu reminded the court that the bench warrant issued for her arrest is yet to be executed. Consequently Justice Akintoye ordered that “the bench warrant is to continue and adjourned the matter to June 5, 2019 when the Nollywood actress will hopefully be produced in court.
Bench Warrant for the arrest of Monalisa Chinda Coker was issued January 21, following an application by a prosecutor from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice. The prosecutor had alleged that Coker repeatedly failed to honour court summons.
She is facing a two-count charge of failure to file annual tax returns and income tax in respect of her company, Monalisa Code Productions, for six years. Monalisa Code Productions carries on business of making films and related production in Lekki axis of Lagos State.
The charges brought before the Nollywood star in suit number LD/5712c/2017 are as follows:
- “Failure to furnish and file annual tax returns for the purpose of personal income taxation with the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) contrary to Section 94(1) of the Personal Income Tax Act 2004 (as amended).”
The particulars of the count stated that you Coker “of Monalisa Code Productions, being a taxable person in Nigeria and carrying on business at… Lekki… failed to furnish and file tax returns on your personal income tax for the years 2011 to 2016.”
Count two reads: “Failure to pay income tax contrary to Section 56 of the Lagos State Revenue Administration Law of 2006.”
