Ames suspected of having fled country, amid charges

It is now suspected that British investor and entrepreneur David Ames, who is being sought by local law enforcement authorities, left St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) by sea.

Prosecutor Karim Nelson told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that it is unlikely that Ames, who has been charged with theft and tax evasion, left SVG through one of the country’s airports, as the immigration department has no record of him doing so.{{more}}

Last Thursday, after Ames failed to turn up at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court to answer his charges, police issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

Yesterday, Ames, who is the founder of Harlequin Hotels and Resorts (parent company of Buccament Bay Resort Ltd and Harlequin Property SVG Ltd), failed for the third time, to show up in court to answer the eight criminal charges.

He is charged with theft under the Criminal Code, tax evasion pursuant to Section 81 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act and failure to pay the Comptroller of Inland Revenue pursuant to Section 134 of the Income Tax Act amounts totalling almost EC$7 million.

While Ames was absent yesterday, his co-defendant in four of the eight charges, lawyer Samuel Commissiong, was present in court and answered his charges.

Commissiong is charged with tax evasion pursuant to Section 81 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act and failure to pay the Comptroller of Inland Revenue pursuant to Section 134 of the Income Tax Act. Commissiong is the solicitor and secretary for Buccament Bay Resort and Harlequin Property SVG.

The matter will next be called before the Magistrate’s Court on August 15, 2016.(AS)