Charles Polidano fined for VAT infringement

Construction magnate Charles Polidano, aka 'Ic-Caqnu', was fined €700 after admitting responsibility for not having a VAT number printed on Empire Cinema tickets.

Polidano was summoned to Court by order of Magistrate Doreen Clarke who refused to have employees or other company representatives appear before her, when all legal responsibility fell on him and his brother Paul.

At least three court sittings had to be put-off for Polidano to appear and respond to the charges by VAT department inspectors, who during a routine inspection at the cinema premises in Bugibba, discovered that tickets were being illegally issued without any VAT reference.

During last Wednesday's sitting, Charles Polidano appeared without his brother Paul, and consulted with lawyer Michael Sciriha to have the case settled by admitting responsibility and accepting to pay the €700 fine.

Sciriha argued when VAT inspectors discovered the infringement, was the exact moment when management was addressing a glitch in the computer which issues the tickets.