A Lagos High Lagos in Igbosere has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of actress and producer, Monalisa Chinda Coker, over a tax evasion charge.

Justice Adedayo Akintoye made the order on January 21, following an application by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, alleging that Coker had repeatedly failed to honor a court summons.

The application flowed from a two-count charge accusing Coker of a six-year failure to file annual tax returns and failure to pay income tax in respect of her company, Monalisa Code Productions.

Monalisa Code Productions carries on its business from Lekki in Lagos.

Prosecution counsel, Y. A. Pitan told Justice Akintoye that Coker had not appeared in court since 2017, when the charge was filed against her.

“The defendant has been served with hearing notice. The proof of service is in the court’s file,” Pitan said, while making an application for the bench warrant.

Granting the application, Justice Akintoye adjourned further proceedings till February 2.

But on February 2, the court heard that the bench warrant had yet to be effected.

It ordered that the warrant should continue and adjourned till April 1.

Count one of the charge, marked LD/5712c/2017, reads in part:

“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 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 for the years 2011 to 2016.”