BENCH WARRANT FOR ARREST OF LEBANESE

THE Commercial Division of the Accra Fast Track High Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Gazy Fattal Dakmak, a Lebanese businessman, for allegedly absconding with ¢463 million belonging to Microcell Limited, dealers in MTN-Areeba recharge scratch cards and other electronic units.
The court on Thursday ordered that after his arrest, Dakmak should be kept in prison at the nearest place of arrest until he was given bail or security by deposit or otherwise to the satisfaction of the court.
Dakmak was said to have purchased items from the company and issued dud cheques which were dishonoured by the bank and had since gone into hiding.
Also joined in the suit is the father of Dakmak, Bassam Gazy Dakmak.
Dakmak used to be an agent for another company, Mobile R us/Allo Concept but was alleged to have engaged in similar deals and the management of the company have disassociated itself from him.
In its statement of claim, Microcell Ltd said Dakmak operated Son Nokta Enterprise, which purchased Areeba recharge scratch cards and electronic units on a cash and carry basis from the company for retail across the country.
It said Dakmak’s father had been privy to his son’s dealings with the company and a beneficiary as well.
According to the company, on April 24, 2007, Dakmak purchased from the company Areeba recharge units worth ¢86.8 million and scratch cards worth ¢63.4 million and drew two cheques payable to the company at the Zenith Bank in Kumasi.
Two days later on April 26, 2007, the plaintiff said Dakmak requested from the company and obtained recharge scratch cards worth ¢30.2 million and drew another cheque to be drawn from the same bank.
The company said it presented the first two cheques for payment on April 25, 2007 while the third cheque was presented for payment on April 27, 2007 but all three cheques were dishonoured and returned to the company.
The plaintiff said it notified Dakmak about the dishonour and demanded cash in redemption of the cheques, but he explained that his accounts had mistakenly been overdrawn at the time the cheques were presented for clearance.
Prior to the plaintiff’s receipt of notice from its bank that all the three cheques had been dishonoured, Dakmak had earlier on April 30, 2007 requested and obtained another Areeba recharge units worth ¢8.7 million from the company with a promise to pay cash.
Dakmak showed up in the Kumasi office of the company and pleaded that he needed to replenish his stock, having sold out the stock over the holiday and that he had cash in his office safe to pay as soon as he reached his office.
Based on that, the company’s sales manager agreed and supplied Dakmak with Areeba electronic units worth ¢130.2 million and recharge scratch cards also worth ¢144 million on the understanding that the sales manager would assign someone to follow Dakmak to his Kumasi shop for the money.
On receipt of the products Dakmak told the sales manager that he was taking the lead to his shop because he had customers waiting there and that someone should be made to follow up for the money and shortly after Dakmak had left information came that all the three cheques had been dishonoured.
The sales manager then called Dakmak and informed him about the latest development but he apologised and gave the assurance that he was going to the bank to arrange for cash to settle all the ¢463.3 million.
That was the last time the plaintiff could hear about Dakmak and on May 4, 2007, his father showed up at the Accra office of the plaintiff and in the presence of some friends explained that he was responsible for his son’s inability to make good his indebtedness and that he was arranging to pay ¢200 million within 48 hours but that never was.
*Pix of Gazy Fattal Dakmak