A Lagos High court has ordered the arrest of former Super Eagles skipper, Austin Jay Jay Okocha for failing to appear before it and answer charges of tax evasion levelled against him by the Lagos State government.
The 1996 Olympic gold medalist and African Nations Cup was hit with three-count charge bordering on failure to furnish return of income in a suit filed since June 6, 2017.
The hearing of the case first scheduled for October of the same year suffered postponement several times on account of the ex-International’s failure to appear in court.
A repeat performance by the former PSG of France star yesterday drew him the ire of Justice Adedayo Akintoye.
It all started with the Prosecutor, Dr. Jide Martins on January 29 of this year during a sitting when he urged the court to issue a bench warrant on the defendant for failing to appear before the court for the umpteenth time.
Martins’ request that was declined then found favour with Akintoye on Thursday when the case came up and Okocha was nowhere near the court premises.
Akintoye adjourned the case until April 15 for the execution of the bench warrant and further hearing. The prosecutor had told the court that the defendant had failed to furnish return of income for tax purposes to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Services.
