Reterdeen Staff
Former captain of the Nigerian National Football team, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has avoided getting arrested after a warrant was issued for his arrest for tax fraud last week.
The ex-Super Eagles international was charged by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice for failure to pay tax on income received, breaking Section 56 the Personal income Tax Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
However, Okocha has avoided arrest as he revealed yesterday that the “issue has been resolved”. In a statement given by Jay Jay to the press, he said:
“It has been settled, but I won’t be able to give you details.”
He also denied having any prior knowledge about the case, contrary to the prosecution claims.
“I only read about it on the pages of newspapers. No one contacted me. As a citizen of the Federal republic of Nigeria, I know very well that nobody is above the law. But honestly speaking, I was never contacted by anybody on issues before the court order.”
His claims are contrary to the prosecutor, Dr Jide Martins’,statement that he had first filed the case in June 2017 and Okocha failed to appear for the court hearing in October of that same year. He said the former Bolton Wanderers talisman also failed to appear at the other adjournments since then, forcing the case judge to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.
No statement has been given by the prosecution to back up Okocha’s claims of the case being settled.
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