Reggae artist Beenie Man faces arrest in tax case

KINGSTON (Reuters) - A Jamaican judge issued an arrest warrant for reggae musician Beenie Man after he failed to turn up in court to answer tax evasion charges on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old singer and dance hall DJ, whose real name is Anthony Moses Davis, was scheduled to appear in court to tell how he planned to pay taxes owed for more than a decade.

"I am surprised that he has not appeared before me," Judge Owen Parkins said before issuing the warrant. "This case is well publicized and he should have been in court. No one is above the law."

Beenie Man faced the court three weeks earlier and was told he owed the Jamaican revenue department US$415,000 in unpaid taxes plus US$246,000 in penalties. He said then that he was unaware he owed the money and that the company that formerly managed his business affairs was responsible for paying the taxes.

The Kingston native won a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album for his 2000 release "Art and Life."