A former Super Eagles’ Captain, Augustine “Jay-Jay” Okocha has finally settled his 2017 tax evasion case with the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS).
Lagos State Prosecutor, Mrs. Y. A. Pitan, told Justice Adedayo Akintoye of an Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Wednesday that Okocha had visited the LIRS office and reconciled his accounts.
Pitan applied to the court for an adjournment to enable her file a notice of discontinuance of the charge preferred against the former BBC Footballer of the Year.
Justice Akintoye granted her prayer and withdrew the warrant of arrest earlier issued on the defendant.
She adjourned further hearing until November 14, to enable the prosecution file a notice of discontinuance of the charge.
The prosecutor had on May 28, informed the court that the defendant visited the office of LIRS to reconcile his accounts.
The prosecutor then said that the defendant could not reach a common ground with the agency.
Earlier, the prosecutor had filed a three-count charge against Okocha on June 6, 2017, accusing him of: “Failure to furnish returns of income for tax purposes with the LIRS, and failure to pay income tax.
“The offences contravene Section 56(a) and (b) of the Lagos State Revenue Administration Law No. 8 of 2006 and Section 94 (1) of the Personal Income Tax Act Cap P8 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 (As Amended)”.
