The whereabouts of Mambra Electronics' sole director Joseph Pavia are unknown even to his family, according to his father Carmel, who is listed as a company shareholder by the Malta Financial Services Authority.
Carmel Pavia yesterday refused to comment on the sudden closure of his son's business, which has left several clients wondering whether they will ever get delivery of goods they have already paid for.
"We do not want to comment. Talk to my son, the business was his," an irate Mr Pavia told The Times outside his Fgura home.
When asked about his son's whereabouts, Mr Pavia insisted the family did not know where he was despite persistent rumours he has fled the island.
"You have created all this damage. People are inventing a lot of lies. Nobody has an idea what we parents are passing through," Mr Pavia insisted.
Mambra's clients, who were left high and dry by the company's sudden closure, would find little solace in Mr Pavia's words: "I do not give a damn about the clients. The shop has closed," he said.
When asked about wages owed to employees, he said the employees all left with their wages in hand.
The MFSA's Registry of Companies still lists Mr Pavia as a shareholder in Mambra Electronics, even if he only holds one share. However, he yesterday denied owning any shares.
The other shareholders are his son Joseph and Joseph Pavia Group of Companies Ltd, which owns 56 per cent.
Joseph Pavia is the absolute majority shareholder of the group of companies, with his father once again owning a single share.
In July the Luqa shop closed down for what had to be a long shutdown but it never re-opened on August 5. It is unclear when Joseph Pavia went missing but his sister, who also worked at the shop, informed employees not to return to work a day before the shutdown was to end.
Official documents deposited with the Registry of Companies show that on June 25 Mambra's auditor resigned and stopped representing the company.
Last year Mambra Electronics was the target of judicial protests filed by the Inland Revenue and VAT departments for taxes due to the government, claimed to be in excess of €600,000.
It was client Maureen Stephens who first raised public concern about the true state of affairs at the shop after having paid €325 for a 32-inch TV on June 13. She is still awaiting delivery two months later.
She was told if she paid for the television in full she would receive it in July because a shipment was planned for that date. After several unanswered phone calls, she decided to visit the shop where she saw a sign saying it would be on shutdown until August 4.
The shop remained closed and phone calls were met with a recorded message stating the opening and closing times of the outlet. Several other customers have since come forward with similar complaints.
Ironically, in June 2007 the owner, Joseph Pavia, had written to The Sunday Times' Customer Care column saying he had dismissed an employee for not taking a customer's complaint seriously.
"I always advise my managers and employees to listen to customers. I strongly believe a customer is not an object but a person. We must thank our customers for purchasing from Mambra," Joseph Pavia had said, insisting on taking full responsibility for the complaint.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com