Court Renews Arrest Warrant Against Nollywood Actress, Monalisa Chinda

A Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, has renewed a bench warrant for the arrest of Nollywood actress and producer, Monalisa Chinda-Coker, over alleged tax evasion. The judge, Adedayo Akintoye, renewed the order for the arrest following the failure of the actress to appear in court for trial on Monday after the state charged her with failure to file annual tax returns and failure to pay income tax in respect of her company, Monalisa Code Productions.

When the case came up on Monday, the defendant and her lawyer were not in court as Babatunde Sumonu, the Lagos State counsel, told the court that the bench warrant it earlier issued had yet to be effected. The judge consequently held that the bench warrant should subsist, adjourned the case until June 5 for further hearing shortly after.

On January 21, the court had given the order for the actress’s arrest following an application made by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice in the matter, since it was established that the defendant repeatedly failed to honour court summons since 2017 when the charge was filed.

The alleged offences contravene Section 94(1) of the Personal Income Tax Act 2004 (as amended) and Section 56 of the Lagos State Revenue Administrative Law of 2006.