An Igbosere High Court, Lagos State, on Monday renewed a bench warrant for the arrest of a Nollywood actress and producer, Monalisa Chinda-Coker, over alleged tax evasion.

Justice Adedayo Akintoye renewed the order for the arrest following the failure of the actress to appear in court for trial.

The Lagos State had charged her with failure to file annual tax returns and failure to pay income tax in respect of her company, Monalisa Code Productions.

On Monday when the came up, the defendant and her lawyer were not in court.

The Lagos State Counsel, Mr Babatunde Sumonu, 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.

She adjourned the case until June 5 for further hearing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had, on Jan. 21, given the order for the actress’s arrest following an application made by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

The state submitted that the defendant repeatedly failed to honour court summons since 2017 when the charge was filed.

The prosecution said that the defendant failed to file annual tax returns and pay income tax in respect of her company, to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, for six years.

According to the state, Monalisa Code Productions carries out its business from Lekki in Lagos State.

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.