Kumasi, Nov 24, GNA - A Kumasi circuit court on Wednesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the owners of four companies who failed to issue Value Added Tax (VAT) invoices for the sale of their goods and services rendered to their customers.

This followed their failure to turn up in court to answer the charges.

The companies are Sheriff Company Limited, Boamen's Enterprise, Asada Electricals and Queen's Date Restaurant.

Eight others, four of which are limited liability companies and four sole enterprises were fined a total of 32 million cedis for the same offences.

They include Fat and Gat Cold Store, Tomoko Fast Foods Limited, Kevy's Limited, Kofi Kwakye Company Limited and Joseph Kwadwo Buachie Enterprise.

The rest are Addai Wiafe Ventures, Joseph Kwaku Brenya Enterprise and Nyarkosco Enterprise.

They all pleaded guilty to the charges and were fined four million cedis each or in default will serve 18 months prison term each. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Regina Addo-Yobo told the court, presided over by Mr. Ernest Yao Obimpeh that on October 3, this year, officials of the VAT Service in Kumasi undertook a purchasing exercise to find out whether traders in the metropolis were issuing VAT invoices to their customers.

She said at the completion of the exercise, it was realised that most traders were issuing their own receipts. ASP Addo-Yobo explained that the offenders were asked to report to the police for investigations and this compelled some of them to go to the VAT office to clear their accumulated VAT debts. She said those who failed to settle their debts were therefore charged with the offences after police investigations. Meanwhile, there are more offenders to be put before court on