Lawyers for Joseph Pavia, owner of the Mabra electronics shop, this morning did not contest a request by the Inland Revenue Department for the issue by a court of a warrant of prohibitory injunction to stop Mr Pavia from selling his Sta Marija Estate villa until overdue tax is paid.

The Inland Revenue Department has claimed it is owed €463,565 .

Legal counsel Jose' Herrera said later that he is seeking a meeting between Mr Pavia and officials from the Inland Revenue and VAT Departments for arrangements to be made on the amounts due. Dr Herrera said Mr Pavia could not benefit from the current tax amnesty scheme since that only applied on interests and fines once the total outstanding amount was paid.

It was reported last week that Mr Pavia now owes the government a total of €1,313,565, including €350,000 in value added tax and eco-contributions. €500,000 are due for fines and penalties for late payments to the VAT Department.

Mambra's shop in Luqa closed for a long shutdown in July but never re-opened on August 5 as it was meant to.

In a previous court sitting regarding his VAT bills, Dr Herrera said his client felt he was overcharged in certain payments of eco-contributions, so he did not pay them in full.

Dr Herrera said he had told the department his client was prepared to mortgage his villa in Santa Maria Estate but he wanted to keep his other property in Żurrieq because he wanted to live there.