SVG issues bench warrant for Dave Ames

Law enforcement authorities in St Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Dave Ames, after the British entrepreneur failed to turn up at court yesterday.{{more}}

Ames, who is the owner of Buccament Bay Resort and Harlequin Property SVG, had been summoned to appear at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court to answer four charges of theft and four charges of tax evasion, amounting to almost EC$7 million.

The entrepreneur had recently returned to St Vincent and the Grenadines and was last publicly seen at the High Court in Kingstown on Tuesday, where the High Court of England and Wales was hearing a US$70 million claim for professional negligence brought by Harlequin Property (SVG) Ltd and Harlequin Hotels and Resorts Ltd against their former accountants and auditors Wilkins Kennedy.

Last Tuesday, Ames was served with a summons to appear at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to answer the charges of theft and evasion of tax. He did not turn up there then, nor the following day, the date to which the matter was adjourned.

The entrepreneur also did not turn up for his British High Court matter on those two days.

It is suspected that Ames may have left the country. (JSV)