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Civil Action2014

BASAB INC AND ANOTHER v. SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LTD AND OTHERS

Related cases with same parties

  • CACV256/2014BASAB INC. AND ANOTHER v. SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LTD AND OTHERS
  • FAMV16/2017BASAB INC. AND ANOTHER v. SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LTD AND ANOTHER

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108551-EN-2017-03-09

BASAB INC. AND ANOTHER v. SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LTD AND OTHERS

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HCA 2562/2013

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

ACTION NO. 2562 OF 2013

____________

BETWEEN  
 BASAB INC.Plaintiff
 and 
 FOK HEI YU (霍羲禹) 1st Defendant
 BATCHELOR, JOHN HOWARD 2nd Defendant

____________

AND

HCA 6/2014

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

ACTION NO. 6 OF 2014

____________

BETWEEN  
 BASAB INC.1st Plaintiff
 HUI KING CHUN2nd Plaintiff
 and 
 SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LIMITED
(超榮控股有限公司)
1st Defendant
 CHEN LIHUA (陳麗華) 2nd Defendant
 FOK HEI YU (霍羲禹)3rd Defendant
 BATCHELOR, JOHN HOWARD4th Defendant
 DOUBLE KEY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
(倍建國際有限公司)
5th Defendant
 CHENG HUNG MUI (鄭紅梅)6th Defendant
 ZHANG XIAOFENG (張曉峰)7th Defendant

____________

(Heard together)

Before: Deputy High Court Judge Kent Yee in Chambers (Open to Public)

Dates of Hearing: 18-19 August 2014

Dates of further written submissions: 25 September 2014, 5 December 2014 and 7 February 2017 (applicants)

29 September 2014 & 9 December 2014 (respondents)

Date of Decision: 9 March 2017

______________

DECISION

_______________

Introduction

1.  The central complaint of these two actions is the sale of the 161,000,000 shares in Kith Holdings Limited (“KHL”) registered in the name of Accufit Investments Inc. (“Accufit”), a BVI company, by the receivers (“the Receivers”) appointed by Superb Glory Holdings Limited (“Superb Glory”) under a debenture securing a loan extended by Superb Glory to Accufit in the sum of HK$140 million on 18 December 2013 (“the Sale”) allegedly at a gross undervalue. The Sale yielded HK$49,780,000 whereas the fair market price is alleged to be in the region of HK$312 to 389 million.

2.  Accufit is not a plaintiff in either action. Basab Inc., another BVI company, is the sole shareholder of Accufit and is the only plaintiff in HCA 256 of 2013 (“the 1st Action”) and the 1st plaintiff in HCA 6 of 2014 (“the 2nd Action”). In the 2nd Action, the other plaintiff is Mr Hui King Chun who was the founder of KHL and is still the Chairman and Manager and Executor Director of KHL. KHL is a Bermuda company listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.   

3.  The Receivers are Mr Fok Hei Yu and Mr John Howard Batchelor, respectively the 1st and 2nd defendants in the 1st Action and the 3rd and 4th defendants in the 2nd Action. In each of the 1st Action and the 2nd Action, the Receivers took out a summons (“the 1st Action Summons” and “the 2nd Action Summons”) for the purpose of striking out the claims against them mainly relying on the no reflective loss principle (“the Principle”). This court has heard the arguments of the parties on the two summonses.

4.  The Principle was too relied on by Superb Glory and its sole shareholder and director Chen LiHua (“Chen”), respectively the 1st and 2nd defendants in the 2nd Action, in their striking out application (“the 2nd Action Application”). DHCJ Wilson Chan (as he then was) acceded to their application and by the decision dated 4 December 2014 (“the CFI Decision”), the learned deputy judge made an order that the 2nd Action as against Superb Glory and Chen be struck out.

5.  The Court of Appeal upheld the CFI Decision at the conclusion of the hearing of the appeal on 22 November 2016           and handed down the Reasons for Judgment and Decision on Costs dated 2 December 2016 (“the 1st CA Judgment”). The Court of Appeal further refused the application of Basab Inc. and Mr Hui, the plaintiffs therein, for leave to appeal by its Judgment dated 10 February 2017 (“the 2nd CA Judgment”).

6.  This court has kept track of the development of the 2nd Action Application and indicated to the parties that the decision on the 1st Action Summons and the 2nd Action Summons would be withheld pending the availability of the 1st CA Judgment, which in my view, is determinative of the major issue here.

7.  Shortly after the 1st CA Judgment was handed down, this court invited the parties to make further written submissions in light of the same. Mr Wong SC, leading Mr Hui, for the Receivers, has helpfully provided supplemental written submissions. Instead of lodging with this court theirs, the plaintiffs in both actions, now represented by a new firm of solicitors[1], requested in person that this Decision should be deferred pending the resolution of their appeal to the Court of Final Appeal.  Given the effectively binding decision of the Court of Appeal directly on the central issue of the Receivers’ applications, this court opines that there should be a determination of their summonses in light of the 1st CA Judgment without further delay and therefore I rejected the plaintiffs’ suggestion.

Background facts

8.  The background facts relevant to the Receivers’ applications are neatly summarized in the CFI Decision and the summary gives a clear introduction of both the parties involved and the facts, mostly undisputed, leading to the commencement of the 1st and 2nd Actions. The Court of Appeal adopted the summary in the 1st CA Judgment with an addition of some new developments. This court, instead of making another summary of the same facts on its own, respectfully adopts the narrative set out in the 1st CA Judgment and it is as follows:

4.  I adopt the relevant background matters set out in the judgment below at §§5 to 18:

“5.  The 1st plaintiff owns 100% of Accufit. Accufit in turn held 161,000,000 shares in KHL [Kith Holdings Limited], a listed company. The 2nd plaintiff was the founder and Chairman of KHL.

6.  The 2nd defendant is the sole director and shareholder of the 1st defendant.

7.  There is no dispute that:

(1)In September 2012, the 1st defendant lent HK$140 million to Accufit and the 2nd plaintiff provided a personal guarantee for the debt.

(2)In January 2013, the 2nd defendant and Accufit entered into a supplemental loan agreement, varying some terms of the original HK$140 million loan and the 2nd plaintiff signed a supplemental personal guarantee for the debt.

(3)In February 2013, the 1st plaintiff executed a Debenture (including a floating charge) over all its assets (including its 100% shareholding in Accufit) to secure the loan.

(4)Despite repeated demands, Accufit failed to make repayment. Cheques were issued for partial repayment, but they were dishonoured. The last attempt was made on 28 March 2013.

8.  Given Accufit’s default, the 1st defendant took the following steps to protect its interests:

(1)On 12 April 2013, the 1st defendant’s solicitors wrote to crystallise the floating charge over the 1st plaintiff’s assets under the Debenture.

(2)On 6 May 2013, the 2nd defendant appointed professional receivers under the Debenture, namely, Mr Fok Hei Yu and Mr John Batchelor of FTI Consulting (the “Receivers”). Under the Debenture, the Receivers appointed themselves as directors of Accufit. The Receivers are respectively the 3rd and 4th defendants in this action.

9.  The 1st plaintiff had full knowledge of these events but never voiced any objection thereto.

10.  In the meantime, not only was Accufit in financial trouble, KHL’s financial situation also deteriorated rapidly:

(1)On 31 March 2013, KHL issued its 2012 Annual Results Announcement.  Its independent auditors raised concern over bank borrowings and loans, which had become overdue and unpaid, leading to “material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern…”.

(2)On 16 April 2013, KHL disclosed the disposal of a subsidiary at a book loss of more than HK$55 million for the purpose of the repayment of liabilities.

(3)On 23 April 2013, members of the KHL Group had to provide a general fixed and floating debenture to its creditor banks.

(4)On 31 May 2013, KHL announced that its plan to issue HK$300 million of bonds could not proceed as the placing agent was unable to procure subscribers.

(5)On 1 August 2013, KHL issued a loss warning.

11.  On 18 December 2013, KHL published an announcement to:

(1)suspend trading of its shares; and

(2)put its most valuable business into voluntary liquidation.

12.  On the same day, the Receivers (as directors of Accufit), after consulting independent financial advisers, decided to sell Accufit’s stake in KHL to Double Key International Limited, the 5th defendant in this action (“Double Key”), at HK$0.38 per share.

13.  As a result of the sale of the KHL shares to Double Key, Double Key was obliged to make a general offer to all shareholders of KHL at the same price of HK$0.38 per share.

14.  On 9 May 2014, KHL’s Board issued a Response Document relating to Double Key’s general offer, which included a letter from an Independent Financial Adviser to KHL’s Board.  The Independent Financial Adviser took the view that the price of HK$0.38 was “fair and reasonable”.

15.  In the meanwhile, the 1st defendant tried to enforce the 2nd plaintiff’s personal guarantee, and issued a statutory demand dated 18 November 2013 against the 2nd plaintiff. However, attempted service was unsuccessful, with the 2nd plaintiff repeatedly giving the excuse that he was out of the jurisdiction through different solicitors.

16.  On 2 January 2014, the 1st and 2nd plaintiffs commenced the present action against, inter alios, the 1st and 2nd defendants.

17.  The plaintiffs’ claims are all premised upon the alleged sale at undervalue by the Receivers (as directors of Accufit) of Accufit’s KHL shares.  As put in paragraph 6 of the 2nd Affirmation of the 2nd plaintiff:

(1)The 1st plaintiff, as the chargor and guarantor under the Debenture, claims that the sale at undervalue by the Receivers (as directors of Accufit) means that the 1st defendant has breached its duties owed to the 1st plaintiff as the chargee.

(2)The 2nd plaintiff, as the guarantor of the debt, claims that the sale at undervalue by the Receivers (as directors of Accufit) means that the 1st defendant has breached its duties owed to the 2nd plaintiff as the chargee.

(3)The plaintiffs claim that there is a conspiracy amongst (1) the 1st defendant (as chargee) and the 2nd defendant (as its director); (2) the Receivers; and (3) the purchasers (ie, Double Key and its directors) to injure the plaintiffs economically by unlawful means (ie, the sale at undervalue).

18.  As a result, the plaintiffs complain that they have suffered loss, such loss being framed as follows:

(1)But for the alleged wrongdoing, Accufit would have sold the KHL shares at a price sufficient to cover Accufit’s loan obligations owed to the 1st defendant, and the plaintiffs’ liability under their Debenture/Guarantee would be discharged.

(2)Due to the alleged wrongdoing (ie, sale at undervalue), the plaintiffs’ liability is no longer fully discharged, but only partially discharged (by the undervalue consideration).

(3)The loss is therefore the difference between full discharge (the plaintiffs are not liable at all) and partial discharge (the plaintiffs liable for the loan amount minus the undervalue consideration).”

5.  The consideration for the sale of the KHL shares to Double Key was $49,780,000.  The plaintiffs alleged that the fair value of these shares should be in the region of $312 to $389 million.

6.  I should mention that the 1st plaintiff, Basab Inc, had applied for leave to bring a statutory derivative action in the name of Accufit, which is a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, to the courts of that jurisdiction.  The defendants in the proposed derivative action are basically the same as the parties in the present action.  They are the 1st defendant in this action, the receivers who appointed themselves as directors of Accufit, and Double Key.  The proposed action was to recover loss arising out of the sale of the KHL shares to Double Key at a gross undervalue.

7.  On 22 September 2014, Bannister J refused leave to bring a statutory derivative action, holding that the claim against the various defendants was speculative, unsupported by any material evidence and without substance.  On 9 November 2015, the BVI Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal from the decision of Bannister J, having evaluated afresh the evidence adduced before the court and concluded that the appellant had failed to show on the available evidence it was more probable than not that it would succeed in proving that the KHL shares were sold to Double Key at an undervalue.”

9.  The foregoing and the following references in this Decision to the plaintiffs and defendants are references to such parties in the 2nd Action. This court shall also adopt the same abbreviations used in the 1st CA Judgment save otherwise specified.

10.  I should also add that the parties subsequent to the 2-day hearing before me by way of written submissions informed me of and make submission on the failure of Basab Inc. in its appeal against the refusal of its application for leave to launch a statutory derivative action against basically the same defendants in the 2nd Action by the BVI Court of Appeal.

11.  Furthermore, I should give more information of the 1st Action here.  Basab Inc. relies on the same factual allegations and claims against the Receivers for their alleged breach of their duties as receivers to it as chargor and guarantor[2] in the Sale, which it claims to be at a gross undervalue and lack bona fide. This is the only cause of action in the 1st Action.

12.  Basab Inc. hence claims first equitable compensation for the Receivers’ breach of their duties. It also prays for an injunction restraining them from dealing with the shareholding of Basab Inc. in Accufit for an amount less than the full value of the monetary claims of Accufit in its intended derivative action in the BVI and/or for the improper purpose of stifling the said intended BVI action. The pleaded case in respect of this claim is that Basab Inc. has made an application for leave to bring a statutory derivation action in the name of and on behalf of Accufit to recover its loss arising from the Sale in the BVI. At the hearing, this court was given a draft judgment of Bannister J sitting in the Commercial Court of the BVI which indicated his rejection of the said application of Basab Inc. by way of an exhibit to a late affirmation.

13.  As explained above, subsequent to the hearing of the two summonses of the Receivers, Basab Inc. obtained the official judgment against its application and so it took the matter to the BVI Court of Appeal. In November 2015, the appellate court in the BVI confirmed the refusal to grant such leave to Basab Inc.. The factual basis of the pleaded case should be examined in this light.

14.  On the other hand, in the 2nd Action, the plaintiffs rely on the same tort of conspiracy to injure the economic interests of them by unlawful means against all the defendants including the Receivers. The pleaded unlawful means[3] include the Receivers’ breach of their fiduciary duties to Accufit as its directors and the duties in equity owed by them as the Receivers those duties owed to Basab Inc. as the chargor under the Debenture and the 2nd plaintiff as the guarantor under the guarantee. The relief claimed against all the defendants under this head is damages for the said tort without any particulars given.

15.  By the 1st Action Summons, the Receivers primarily seek to invoke the jurisdiction of this court to strike out the Statement of Claim on all the grounds under O.18 r.19 of the Rules of the High Court, Cap.4A (“the RHC”). Their alternative position is that the 1st Action should be stayed pending the determination of certain relief in the Statement of Claim filed in the 2nd Action or that the 1st and 2nd Actions should be consolidated/tried at the same time/ one immediately after another.

16.  By the 2nd Action Summons, the Receivers ask for similar orders. In the premises, it appears to this court that the determination of the 2nd Action Application by the Court of Appeal would have a bearing on my disposition of the Receivers’ applications should I need to consider their alternative positions in the two summonses.

Analysis

17.  I shall first deal with the 2nd Action Summons. I can be brief in light of the 1st and 2nd CA Judgments. The Receivers’ core objection to the claim as against them in the 2nd Action is that it offends the Principle. Mr Wong submits with force that the alleged loss suffered by the plaintiffs is merely reflective of the loss of Accufit allegedly caused by the Receivers. 

18.  Ms Eu SC, together with Mr Lam SC, for Basab Inc. and Mr Hui in both actions, submits that the Principle had no application to the 1st and 2nd Actions and the remedies therein sought do not include any damages for reflective loss. Ms Eu submits that the loss pleaded in the 2nd Action is not based on the diminution in value of the Accufit shares as a result of the Sale nor with any benefits which would otherwise have been payable by Accufit. Rather, it arises from the tort of conspiracy by unlawful means on the part of the Receivers by virtue of their breach of their equitable duties as the receivers owed to Basab Inc. to ensure that its indebtedness to Superb Glory under the covenant is cleared off as much as possible.

19.  Her skillful submission however does not survive the analysis in the CFI Decision and the 1st CA Judgment. In the 1st CA Judgment[4], Kwan JA observed that the plaintiffs actually did not appeal against the learned deputy judge’s conclusion concerning the plaintiffs’ conspiracy claim against the 2nd defendant. The learned deputy judge pointed out that the conspiracy claim and hence the same remedy must also be available to Accufit. Therefore, the plaintiffs’ claim clearly falls foul of the Principle. It being the only claim against the 2nd defendant, the plaintiffs’ claim against the 2nd defendant must be struck out entirely.

20.  I too agree with the reasoning of the learned deputy judge[5]. Likewise, the conspiracy claim as against the Receivers being the only claim against them in the 2nd Action must be struck out by reason of the Principle. The claim is unsustainable in law.

21.  In particular, I should mention the conclusion of the Court of Appeal that the 2nd Action is a classic situation in which loss was allegedly suffered by the claimants (the plaintiffs) as the shareholders of a company (Accufit). I am unable to deviate from this conclusion.

22.  I am not persuaded that the Principle ceases to be applicable merely because of the availability of other causes of action by the plaintiffs in other capacities against the Receivers. As explained by Kwan JA[6], as a matter of substance, the plaintiffs’ claim would be made good if Accufit should recover from the defendants including the Receivers all loss arising from the Sale. The Principle applies to prevent double recovery.  Kwan JA went on to say this[7],

“As stated in Gardner v Parker at §49 and quoted in Pico North Asia Holdings[8] at §35, “the rule against reflective loss is not concerned with barring causes of action as such, but with barring recovery of certain types of loss.” So the principle applies “where the loss claimed by the shareholder is merely reflective of the company’s loss, even though the defendant may owe wholly different duties to the company and to the shareholder” (Pico North Asia Holdings, §36).”

23.nbsp; Ms Eu refers this court to International Leisure Ltd v First National Trustee Co UK Ltd [2013] Ch 346 for the proposition that the Principle does not bar a secured creditor from claiming against an administrative receiver for such loss arising from the breach of his duty in his office. There, the secured creditor was held to be the one primarily entitled to obtain and retain all damages awarded for the alleged breaches and to whom the primary duties were owed. Thus, his claim against the administrative receiver did not offend the Principle.

24.  Similar arguments were advanced before the Court of Appeal in respect of the 2nd Action Application. Kwan JA was not convinced and found the present case to be very different in that the plaintiffs are not secured creditors. I agree that International Leisure Ltd does not assist the plaintiffs here at all.

25.  I note that there are minor complaints raised by Ms Eu concerning procedural matters. I shall deal with them in the course of my analysis of the 1st Action Summons. As far as the 2nd Action is concerned, given the clear and definitive conclusion in the 1st CA Judgment concerning the nature of the plaintiffs’ claim against the defendants including the Receivers in the 2nd Action, I too conclude that it is plain and obvious that the claim in the 2nd Action as against the Receiver should be struck out by reason of its contravention of the Principle.

26.  Now I turn to the 1st Action Summons. Mr Wong submits that the claim of Basab Inc. for equitable compensation is for the same reason bad in law and its claim for the injunction is academic in any event. He submits that the commencement of the two actions against the Receivers based on the same factual allegations constitutes an abuse of process.

27.  I cannot accept the latter submission absent cogent evidence of bad faith. It appears to me to be more a question of costs than a valid ground of striking out.

28.  Mr Wong does not dispute with Ms Eu’s submission that a receiver can owe equitable duties to a chargor over whose assets he is appointed receiver and hence a chargor may maintain an action against his receiver in the event of any breach of such duties. Nor is there any dispute that a receiver owes similar equitable duties to a guarantor of the chargor’s secured debt. Authorities in support of the existence of such duties of a receiver abound: Picarda: The Law Relating to Receivers, Managers and Administrators (4th Edn) at pp.155-156; Kerr & Hunter on Receivers and Administrators (19th Edn) at §§19-15 to 19-18; Gomba Holdings Ltd v Homan [1986] 1 WLR 1301, Standard Chartered Bank Ltd v Walker [1982] 1 WLR 1410.

29.  However, Mr Wong highlights the true nature of the claim of Basab Inc. against the Receivers. In this connection, he draws to my attention to the nature of the intended BVI derivative action of Basab Inc. as revealed in the Statement of Claim filed in the 1st Action. It is pleaded that the intended derivative action and any judgment arising thereform are valuable assets belonging to Accufit, the value of which should be reflected in the plaintiff’s shareholding in Accufit. This speaks volumes for the nature of its claim in the 1st Action based on the alleged breaches of duties on the part of the Receivers.

30.  Mr Wong invites my attention to the ruling of the House of Lords in Johnson v Gore Wood and Co [2002] 2 AC 1 for the explanation of the Principle. He also refers me to the following passage in Sealy’s Cases and Materials in Company Law (9th Edn, OUP) at p.638:

“The “no reflective loss” principle ensures that a defendant can be sued only once for the same loss, and , in doing that, prioritises the company’s claim as a matter of principle. Regardless of the type of claim (common law or equity), or the form of remedy (compensation or restitution), or the status of the member (majority or minority), the principle prevents a person other than the company suing for the loss even when the person has a cause of action against the defendant, and even if the cause of action is different from the company’s.

31.  For the loss allegedly suffered by Basab Inc., despite the able submissions of Ms Eu, it, if any, very much remains to have purportedly arisen from the alleged shortfall in the sale proceeds of the KHL shares and it is merely reflective of such loss suffered by Accufit. Even Basab Inc. comes up with the allegations of breach of equitable duties owed by the Receivers personally to it in some other capacities, this does not alter the reflective nature of its claim. In light of the established authorities including Pico North Asia Holding Ltd and the 1st CA Judgment, the Principle is engaged in my judgment and should stop the claim of Basab Inc. in the 1st Action.

32.  Given my conclusion that the claim of Basab Inc. for equitable compensation violates the Principle and hence should not be allowed to proceed, there is no need to deal with the alternative submission of Mr Wong to the effect that the claim of Basab Inc. for equitable compensation is premature and that declaratory relief would be more appropriate. Suffice it for me to say that I also agree with Ms Eu that Basab Inc., on the face of it, under the covenant, is obliged to repay as a principal debtor of the loan but the pleaded case of Basab Inc. remains to be based on its dual capacity of chargor and guarantor only. I would not exercise my discretion to strike out the claim on the basis of this alternative submission nonetheless.

33.  In regard to the injunction sought, Basab Inc. explains in its pleading why there is a concern about the Receivers’ likely disposition of the shareholding of Basab Inc. in Accufit. It is alleged that such dispositions may frustrate or stifle its intended BVI derivation action.

34.  It is also pleaded that whilst the Receivers refused to give an undertaking not to deal with such shareholding until trial, they indicated that they had no intention to sell, encumber or otherwise dispose of its shareholding in Accufit in the meantime.

35.  On such factual basis, coupled with the fact that the BVI Court of Appeal has affirmed the refusal to grant Basab Inc. leave to commence a statutory derivative action, I agree that the injunction sought serves no meaningful purposes and should never be granted. Given my foregoing conclusion about the main claim, I should not allow the 1st Action to continue for the sake of this injunction. I should also strike out this claim.

36.  Should there be any change of circumstances, I am sure that there are legal steps that Basab Inc. can take to forestall any disposition of its shareholding with a view to stifling its intended derivative action.

37.  Lastly I shall briefly deal with the procedural complaints. Ms Eu drew to my attention that the Receivers failed to comply with Practice Directions 19.1 to serve notice on the plaintiffs to inform them of the ground(s) on which they would rely in their application to strike out the pleadings as disclosing no reasonable cause of action. Furthermore, she complains that the objection based on the Principle was only raised in the reply affirmation of Mr Fok without leave.

38.  This court of course expects strict compliance with the Practice Directions or any provisions in the RHC. It is of critical importance that legal practitioners should follow such provisions so as to ensure fairness of legal proceedings.

39.  In the present case, I accept the validity of such complaints raised by Ms Eu. There is no explanation given for the non-compliance. However, the objections of the Receivers here are so fundamental that no amendments to the pleadings in both actions in the wake of a sufficient notice could in my view salvage the claims. The plaintiffs have never asked for leave to amend the pleadings to prevent them from being struck out anyway. Further, such objections involve legal arguments with reference to the pleadings only. Ms Eu confirms that the plaintiffs need no adjournment to deal with the objections by way of further evidence or otherwise.

40.  In the circumstances, absent any discernible prejudice caused to the plaintiffs, I cannot take these complaints any further and they do not in any way affect the way that my discretion should be exercised to strike out the 1st and 2nd Actions as against the Receivers for the reasons given above.     

Conclusion and order

41.  In conclusion, I am convinced that the Statement of Claim of Basab Inc. in the 1st Action should be struck out and the 1st Action should be dismissed. Likewise, in the 2nd Action, the plaintiffs’ Statement of Claim as against the Receivers should be struck out and the 2nd Action as against the Receivers should be dismissed.

42.  There is no reason why costs should not follow the event. For the 1st Action, I make an order nisi that Basab Inc. do pay the Receivers their costs of the 1st Action including such costs of and occasioned by the 1st Action Summons, to be taxed if not agreed.

43.  A similar costs order nisi is made against the plaintiffs in favour of the Receivers in the 2nd Action.

44.  Lastly, I thank all counsel involved for their helpful submissions.

 (Kent Yee)
 Deputy High Court Judge

HCA2562/2013

Ms Audrey Eu SC and Mr Douglas Lam SC, instructed by Henry Wai & Co, for the plaintiff (respondent)

Mr William Wong SC and Mr John Hui, instructed by Wilkinson & Grist, for the defendants (applicants)

HCA6/2014

Ms Audrey Eu SC and Mr Douglas Lam SC, instructed by Henry Wai & Co, for the plaintiffs (respondents)

Anthony Siu & Co, for the 1st and 2nd defendants, attendance excused

Mr William Wong SC and Mr John Hui, instructed by Wilkinson & Grist, for the 3rd and 4th defendants (applicants)

Michael Li & Co, for the 5th, 6th and 7th defendants, attendance excused

[1] Ha & Ho

[2] §§21-22 of the Statement of Claim filed in the 1st Action.

[3] §§38-43 of the Statement of Claim in the 2nd Action.

[4] §10 of the 1st CA Judgment.

[5] §§32-33, 36-38 of the CFI Decision.

[6] §35 of the 1st CA Judgment.

[7] §36 of the 1st CA Judgment.

[8] [2011] HKCU 256.

98669-EN-2015-04-30

BASAB INC AND ANOTHER v. SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LTD AND OTHERS

HTML content

HCA 6/2014

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

ACTION NO 6 OF 2014

______________________

BETWEEN
BASAB INC1st Plaintiff
HUI KING CHUN2nd Plaintiff
and
SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LIMITED1st Defendant
CHEN LIHUA2nd Defendant
FOK HEI YU3rd Defendant
BATCHELOR, JOHN HOWARD4th Defendant
DOUBLE KEY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED5th Defendant
CHENG HUNG MUI6th Defendant
ZHANG XIAOFENG7th Defendant

______________________

Before: Deputy High Court Judge Wilson Chan in Chambers
Date of Hearing: 30 April 2015
Date of Decision: 30 April 2015

________________

DECISION

________________

 

1.  On 4 December 2014, this court ordered that the Statement of Claim against the 1st and 2nd defendants be struck out and the action against them be dismissed.  The plaintiffs have also been ordered to bear the 1st and 2nd defendants’ costs of their summons and their costs of the action.

2.  On 17 December 2014, the plaintiffs lodged an appeal to the Court of Appeal and notice of setting down the appeal was filed on 19 December 2014.

3.  By Summons dated 8 April 2015, the plaintiffs apply to stay the execution of the costs order granted by this court until the appeal has been finally disposed of.

4.  For the purpose of this application, I am satisfied that the plaintiffs’ appeal is arguable, that is, one with reasonable prospects of success.  In this regard, I bear in mind the case of International Leisure Ltd v First National Trustee Co UK Ltd [2013] Ch 346, brought to my attention by the plaintiffs for today’s hearing, which brings into question whether it is the plaintiffs or the company who are “primarily entitled” to recover the loss allegedly caused by the defendants in question. 

5.  As to the disposal of the plaintiffs’ application, I intend to follow the approach adopted by Bharwaney J in 廈門新景地集團有限公司v Eaton Properties Limited, HCCL 13/2011 (Decision dated 2.12.13).  At paragraphs 4, 9 and 10 of that Decision, Bharwaney J stated as follows:

“4. ... If the plaintiff succeeds in the appeal, the costs incurred on the taxation,...would be wasted. Moreover the court’s resources deployed for the taxation of costs would also be wasted.”

“9. However, I am also satisfied that should the appeal be dismissed, the grant of the stay that has been sought will delay the defendants from receiving the costs that they are entitled to...”

“10. ... In my judgment, a proper balance between these competing needs can be achieved if I were to make a condition of the stay that I propose to grant that the plaintiff pays into court an amount which could counter balance the delay that is being faced by the defendants. In this way, the delay to the defendants is ameliorated by the certainty that there is a sum of money in court that they can look to, to satisfy the costs, or a substantial part thereof, that would be awarded to them on the subsequent taxation of those costs.”

6.  In the premises, Bharwaney J ordered the appellant/plaintiff to pay an amount equivalent to 65% of the claimed costs into court as a condition of the stay.

7.  In the present case, the amount of costs claimed by the 1st and 2nd defendants in their Bill of Costs is HK$1,613,124.  In the plaintiffs’ List of Objections, the plaintiffs have proposed reductions to the tune of HK$966,624.

8.  Taking a necessarily broad-brush approach and striving to maintain a proper balance between the competing needs of the parties, I would order a stay on condition that the plaintiffs pay into court a sum of HK$1,000,000. Indeed, Mr Patrick Siu for the plaintiffs accepts that HK$1,000,000 would be an appropriate figure if I see fit to order a payment in.

9.  Accordingly, I order that there be a stay of execution of the taxation of the costs awarded by me by the order dated 4 December 2014 until the appeal in CACV 256/2014 (on appeal from HCA 6/2014) has been finally disposed of, on condition that the plaintiffs pay into court the sum of HK$1,000,000.

Submissions on time needed for payment in and costs

10.  I order that the costs of the plaintiffs’ application be costs in the cause of the appeal.

11.  I order that the plaintiffs are required to make the payment into court within 28 days from today.

(Wilson Chan)
Deputy High Court Judge

Mr Patrick Siu, instructed by Henry Wai & Co, for the 1st and 2nd plaintiffs

Mr Alan Kwong, instructed by Anthony Siu & Co, for the 1st and 2nd defendants

96092-EN-2014-12-04

BASAB INC AND ANOTHER v. SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LTD AND OTHERS

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HCA 6/2014

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

ACTION NO 6 OF 2014

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BETWEEN

 BASAB INC.1st Plaintiff
 HUI KING CHUN (許經振)2nd Plaintiff

and

 SUPERB GLORY HOLDINGS LIMITED1st Defendant
 (超榮控股有限公司) 
 CHEN LIHUA (陳麗華)2nd Defendant
 FOK HEI YU (霍羲禹)3rd Defendant
 BATCHELOR, JOHN HOWARD4th Defendant
 DOUBLE KEY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
(倍建國際有限公司)
5th Defendant
 CHENG HUNG MUI (鄭紅梅)6th Defendant
 ZHANG XIAOFENG (張曉峰)7th Defendant

_______________

Before: Deputy High Court Judge Wilson Chan in Chambers
Dates of Hearing: 22 and 23 October 2014
Date of Judgment: 4 December 2014

________________________

J U D G M E N T

________________________

 

Introduction

1. This is the hearing of the 1st and 2nd defendants’ strike out application by summons dated 27 May 2014.

2. The 1st and 2nd defendants relied upon the following grounds under Order 18, rule 19 of the Rules of the High Court and the court’s inherent jurisdiction.  In particular:

(1) The plaintiffs’ claim is barred by the no reflective loss principle.  The plaintiffs are claiming for alleged losses suffered by one Accufit Investments Inc (“Accufit”).

(2) The 1st defendant owes no duty to the plaintiffs as regard the sale by the Receivers of Accufit’s shares in Kith Holdings Limited (“KHL”) qua directors of Accufit.

(3) The plaintiffs’ claim discloses no reasonable cause of action, as the elements of a conspiracy claim have not been properly pleaded.

(4) The plaintiffs’ claim is in any event scandalous, frivolous and vexatious or is otherwise an abuse of the process of the court – the plaintiffs’ claim is wholly unsupported by facts and is only designed to starve‑off the 2nd plaintiff’s bankruptcy.

3. It should be noted that at the beginning of the second day of the hearing, Mr Johnny Mok, SC (with him Mr Alexander Tang), counsel for the 1st and 2nd defendants, orally abandoned the above Ground (3) of the strike out application relating to the plaintiffs’ pleading of the conspiracy claim.

Factual Background

4. Very briefly, the salient facts of this case are as follows.

5. The 1st plaintiff owns 100% of Accufit.  Accufit in turn held 161,000,000 shares in KHL, a listed company.  The 2nd plaintiff was the founder and Chairman of KHL.

6. The 2nd defendant is the sole director and shareholder of the 1st defendant.

7. There is no dispute that:

(1) In September 2012, the 1st defendant lent HK$140 million to Accufit and the 2nd plaintiff provided a personal guarantee for the debt.

(2) In January 2013, the 2nd defendant and Accufit entered into a supplemental loan agreement, varying some terms of the original HK$140 million loan and the 2nd plaintiff signed a supplemental personal guarantee for the debt.

(3) In February 2013, the 1st plaintiff executed a Debenture (including a floating charge) over all its assets (including its 100% shareholding in Accufit) to secure the loan.

(4) Despite repeated demands, Accufit failed to make repayment.  Cheques were issued for partial repayment, but they were dishonoured.  The last attempt was made on 28 March 2013.

8. Given Accufit’s default, the 1st defendant took the following steps to protect its interests:

(1) On 12 April 2013, the 1st defendant’s solicitors wrote to crystallise the floating charge over the 1st plaintiff’s assets under the Debenture.

(2) On 6 May 2013, the 2nd defendant appointed professional receivers under the Debenture, namely, Mr Fok Hei Yu and Mr John Batchelor of FTI Consulting (the “Receivers”).  Under the Debenture, the Receivers appointed themselves as directors of Accufit.  The Receivers are respectively the 3rd and 4th defendants in this action.

9. The 1st plaintiff had full knowledge of these events but never voiced any objection thereto.

10. In the meantime, not only was Accufit in financial trouble, KHL’s financial situation also deteriorated rapidly:

(1) On 31 March 2013, KHL issued its 2012 Annual Results Announcement.  Its independent auditors raised concern over bank borrowings and loans, which had become overdue and unpaid, leading to “material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern…”.

(2) On 16 April 2013, KHL disclosed the disposal of a subsidiary at a book loss of more than HK$55 million for the purpose of the repayment of liabilities.

(3) On 23 April 2013, members of the KHL Group had to provide a general fixed and floating debenture to its creditor banks.

(4) On 31 May 2013, KHL announced that its plan to issue HK$300 million of bonds could not proceed as the placing agent was unable to procure subscribers.

(5) On 1 August 2013, KHL issued a loss warning.

11. On 18 December 2013, KHL published an announcement to:

(1) suspend trading of its shares; and

(2) put its most valuable business into voluntary liquidation.

12. On the same day, the Receivers (as directors of Accufit), after consulting independent financial advisers, decided to sell Accufit’s stake in KHL to Double Key International Limited, the 5th defendant in this action (“Double Key”), at HK$0.38 per share.

13. As a result of the sale of the KHL shares to Double Key, Double Key was obliged to make a general offer to all shareholders of KHL at the same price of HK$0.38 per share.

14. On 9 May 2014, KHL’s Board issued a Response Document relating to Double Key’s general offer, which included a letter from an Independent Financial Adviser to KHL’s Board.  The Independent Financial Adviser took the view that the price of HK$0.38 was “fair and reasonable”.

15. In the meanwhile, the 1st defendant tried to enforce the 2nd plaintiff’s personal guarantee, and issued a statutory demand dated 18 November 2013 against the 2nd plaintiff.  However, attempted service was unsuccessful, with the 2nd plaintiff repeatedly giving the excuse that he was out of the jurisdiction through different solicitors.

16. On 2 January 2014, the 1st and 2nd plaintiffs commenced the present action against, inter alios, the 1st and 2nd defendants.

17. The plaintiffs’ claims are all premised upon the alleged sale at undervalue by the Receivers (as directors of Accufit) of Accufit’s KHL shares.  As put in paragraph 6 of the 2nd Affirmation of the 2nd plaintiff:

(1) The 1st plaintiff, as the chargor and guarantor under the Debenture, claims that the sale at undervalue by the Receivers (as directors of Accufit) means that the 1st defendant has breached its duties owed to the 1st plaintiff as the chargee.

(2) The 2nd plaintiff, as the guarantor of the debt, claims that the sale at undervalue by the Receivers (as directors of Accufit) means that the 1st defendant has breached its duties owed to the 2nd plaintiff as the chargee.

(3) The plaintiffs claim that there is a conspiracy amongst (1) the 1st defendant (as chargee) and the 2nd defendant (as its director); (2) the Receivers; and (3) the purchasers (ie, Double Key and its directors) to injure the plaintiffs economically by unlawful means (ie, the sale at undervalue).

18. As a result, the plaintiffs complain that they have suffered loss, such loss being framed as follows:

(1) But for the alleged wrongdoing, Accufit would have sold the KHL shares at a price sufficient to cover Accufit’s loan obligations owed to the 1st defendant, and the plaintiffs’ liability under their Debenture/Guarantee would be discharged.

(2) Due to the alleged wrongdoing (ie, sale at undervalue), the plaintiffs’ liability is no longer fully discharged, but only partially discharged (by the undervalue consideration).

(3) The loss is therefore the difference between full discharge (the plaintiffs are not liable at all) and partial discharge (the plaintiffs liable for the loan amount minus the undervalue consideration).

Ground (1): The Reflective Loss Principle

19. Mr Mok SC points out that the only loss claimed by the plaintiffs is loss resulting from the sale of KHL shares allegedly at an undervalue.  The shares were held by Accufit, not by the 1st plaintiff or the 2nd plaintiff.  The sale was made by Accufit (with the Receivers being its directors).  The alleged loss was suffered by Accufit.  In the premises, any loss allegedly suffered by the 1st plaintiff (as the chargor and guarantor under the Debenture) or the 2nd plaintiff (as the guarantor of the debt) is reflective loss of Accufit.

20. I agree.  In this regard, it makes no difference that the loss alleged by the plaintiffs does not arise from the diminution in the value of the 1st plaintiff’s shareholding in Accufit.  In Landune International Ltd v Cheung Chung Leung [2006] 1 HKLRD 39, Yuen JA held at paragraph 24 as follows:

“24 the focus of the rule against reflective loss is not on whether a wrong had been done to the plaintiff… personally, but on the loss he is seeking to recover – if the loss can be made good if the company… enforces its rights against the defendant, the plaintiff’s loss is a reflective loss and to prevent double recovery, its claim should be struck out.” (emphasis supplied)

21. Further, at paragraph 31, Yuen JA made it clear that the principle of reflective loss is not limited to cases where shareholders sue on the diminution of the value of its shareholding due to a wrong done to the company:

“31 The principle debarring reflective loss is not based on the relationship of the plaintiff to the company, whether it be shareholder‑company, or employee‑employer, or creditor‑debtor. The common thread is that the plaintiff’s loss would be made good if the company, employer or debtor, recovers from the defendant.”

22. In fact, the reflective loss principle applies to (1) non‑shareholder claimants; and (2) guarantor claimants claiming that a defendant has wrongfully impoverished the company, and thereby increasing the chance that the guarantee would be called upon.

23. Insofar as non-shareholder claimants are concerned, Neuberger LJ (as he then was) in Gardner v Parker [2004] 2 BCLC 554 held as follows at paragraph 70:

“[70] …the rule against reflective loss is not limited to claims brought by a shareholder in his capacity as such; it would also apply to him in his capacity as an employee of the company with a right (or even an expectation) of receiving contributions to his pension fund. On that basis, there is no logical reason why it should not apply to a shareholder in his capacity as a creditor of the company expecting repayment of his debt. Indeed, it is hard to see why the rule should not apply to claim brought by a creditor (or indeed, an employee) of the company concerned, even if he is not a shareholder…” (emphasis supplied)

24. More pertinent to the present case, both the English and the Australian courts have held that guarantors of a company’s debts cannot sue a defendant on the basis that the defendant has wrongfully impoverished the company, and thereby increasing the chance that the guarantee would be called upon.

25. In  Erridge v Coole & Haddock (a firm) (2000 WL 1274094, unreported), Ferris J held as follows:

“… This was to the effect that the only possible impact of Coole & Haddock’s conduct in relation to the EGH guarantee was that, EGH was unable to satisfy its liabilities as principal debtor to the Bank because it had been impoverished by, in effect, taking an interest which proved to be of only nominal value in new Premier in substitution for its valuable interest in old Premier. But Mr Johnson argued that, assuming this to be the case, the principle of Prudential Assurance prevents Mr Erridge from recovering from Coole & Haddock whatever he may have to pay under the EGH guarantee. This is simply another way in which Mr Erridge’s loss under the guarantee reflects EGH’s own loss.

I think that this submission is well-founded. I do not think that, in relation to the Prudential Assurance principle, there is a difference of kind between loss in the form of a diminution in the value of Mr Erridge’s shares in EGH and loss in the form of an increased risk of Mr Erridge’s guarantee being called upon…” (emphasis supplied)

26. A similar conclusion was reached by the Supreme Court of Western Australia in Heedes v Telstra Corp Ltd [2001] WASC 297.  At paragraph 21, it was held as follows:

“[21] … These are personal liabilities incurred by the plaintiff. But they have been incurred as a consequence of his guaranteeing debts of Toolwise Pty Ltd. If Toolwise Pty Ltd recovered from the defendant in an action for breach of contract or otherwise, then the damages would allow Toolwise Pty Ltd to meet its creditors and the plaintiff would not have been called upon under the provisions of various guarantees. Look at in this way, the losses claimed are reflective and the claim cannot be sustained.” (emphasis supplied)

27. As pointed out by Mr Mok SC, it appears that the plaintiffs are well aware of this principle.  The 1st plaintiff had applied to the BVI court for leave to commence a statutory derivative action in the name of Accufit against basically the same parties as in this action, and in respect of the same loss, namely, loss arising out of the alleged sale at undervalue of Accufit’s KHL shares.

28. Faced with the above authorities, Mr Douglas Lam, counsel for the plaintiffs, submitted that the principle against reflective loss is not engaged for the simple reason that Accufit, the company, has no cause of action against the 1st defendant (as opposed to the Receivers as its directors) under the Debenture.  Mr Lam submitted that:

(1) The Debenture was entered into between the 1st defendant and the 1st plaintiff in respect of the charged assets, which includes the 1st plaintiff’s 100% shareholding in Accufit.

(2) The complaint by the 1st plaintiff is that the 1st defendant breached its equitable duties owed to the 1st plaintiff by instructing or directing the Receivers to act in breach of their equitable duties as receivers of the charged assets.

(3) The 1st defendant does not owe any duties to Accufit under the Debenture and cannot be liable to Accufit for the sale at an undervalue.

29. Mr Lam, however, accepted that in the application to the BVI court for leave to commence a derivative action in the name of Accufit, the intended action did in fact include a proposed claim by Accufit against the 1st defendant for dishonestly assisting the Receivers in their breach of duties.  But Mr Lam submitted that the nature of that claim was very different from that in these proceedings and the threshold for establishing liability would be very much higher.

30. Mr Lam went on to submit that, for the purpose of a strike out application, not only must the defendants show that the company has a claim as such, but it must be shown also that the company’s claim is available on the facts [see: Shaker v Al-Bedrawi [2003] 1 BCLC 157 at paragraph 83].

31. Mr Lam further submitted that in considering this question, the court “must at least be satisfied on the evidence whether or not the company had a claim which was likely to succeed, an exercise which involves considering not just the case which the company could have made, but the defences which could have been raised to it” [see: Perry v Day [2004] EWHC 1398 (Ch), per Rimer J at paragraph 65]. 

32. In reply, Mr Mok SC submits that Mr Lam’s above argument cannot possibly assist the plaintiffs regarding their conspiracy claim against the defendants (see paragraph 17(3) above). In respect of the conspiracy claim, based on the facts and matters pleaded in the Statement of Claim, the same remedy must be available to Accufit, the company, as well as the plaintiffs.  For this reason, the plaintiffs’ claim for conspiracy must be struck out, based on the rule against reflective loss.  I agree.  Indeed, Mr Lam has been quite unable to advance any argument against the striking out of the plaintiffs’ conspiracy claim against the defendants.

33. In this regard, it is important to note that the only claim made by the plaintiffs against the 2nd defendant in this action is for the tort of conspiracy.  It follows that the plaintiffs’ claim against the 2nd defendant must be struck out entirely.

34. In respect of the plaintiffs’ claims against the 1st defendant for breach of duties under the Debenture (see paragraph 17(1) and (2) above), Mr Mok SC made the important point that when the English Court of Appeal in Shaker v Al-Bedrawi, Supra, spoke of the company’s claim being “available on the facts”, the court is not being asked to assess the likelihood of such claim being established.  Mr Mok SC referred to the judgment of Judge Rich QC in Perry v Day [2005] 2 BCLC 406, where at paragraph 25 it was held as follows:

“[25] I agree with Mr De Waal that that reference to availability on the facts in the context of that judgment is a reference to whether, on the facts, the company had a cause of action, not the likelihood of such claim being successfully pursued…”. (emphasis supplied)

35.  DHCJ Marlene Ng held to the similar effect in Lee Sai Nam v Li Shu Chung [2014] HKCU 335, at paragraph 39:

“[39] I am also unable to accept Mr Wong SC’s submission that one looks to the alleged wrongdoer’s defence allegations to determine whether the shareholder’s claim falls foul of the no reflective loss principle. If that were the case, the no reflective loss principle can be easily circumvented whenever the wrongdoer denies liability or wrongdoing. In my view, it is only when the alleged reflective loss claim itself inherently causes some anxiety or when the issue of whether or not the alleged loss is reflective loss depends on how the evidence turns out that one may argue against the applicability of the no reflective loss principle. If the defence merely denies wrongdoing without alleging any factual underpinning that goes to the question of whether or not the loss claimed is reflective of the loss said to be suffered by the company, its relevance to the issue is doubtful”. (emphasis supplied)

36. Mr Mok SC further relied on the decision of Fok JA (as he then was) in Pico North Asia Holdings Ltd (formerly known as Pico North Asia Ltd) v Cheung Yuk Ting Linda [2011] HKCU 256, where at paragraphs 37 to 40, it was held that the application of the no reflective loss principle was not affected by the fact that the defendants in that action might owe different duties to the plaintiff, to those owed by them as directors to the companies.  Similarly, the reliance by the plaintiff on breaches of contractual duties or duties in tort on the part of the defendants did not affect its application.  Ultimately, the question is whether the loss allegedly suffered by the plaintiff by reason of the breaches asserted in the action is merely reflective of the companies’ loss.

37. Mr Mok SC went on to submit that, on the pleadings in this action, the facts and matters pleaded by the plaintiffs regarding the 1st defendant’s breach of duties under the Debenture were also relied upon by the plaintiffs in support of their conspiracy claim.  In other words, the same conduct on the part of the 1st defendant forms the basis of both claims.

38. I entirely agree with Mr Mok SC.  The position is indeed abundantly clear under paragraph 37 of the Statement of Claim, where the plaintiffs aver that they will rely on paragraphs 1 to 36 thereinabove (dealing with the 1st defendant’s breach of duties under the Debenture) in support of their conspiracy claim (which, as I have already held in paragraph 32 above, is a cause of action equally available to Accufit, the company, on the facts).

39. In the premises, I hold that the plaintiffs’ claims against the 1st defendant for breach of duties under the Debenture should also be struck out under the no reflective loss principle.

Ground (2): No duties owed by the 1st defendant to the plaintiffs

40. I can briefly deal with this by saying that I would not have struck out the plaintiffs’ claims against the 1st defendant on this ground alone.

41. It is the plaintiffs’ case, as pleaded in the Statement of Claim, that the Receivers were in fact acting under the directions or instructions of the 1st defendant.

42. I agree with Mr Lam that the precise role played by the 1st defendant in the sale, the nature and particulars of any directions and instructions given by the 1st defendant to the Receivers, will be matters for trial and cross‑examination, after full discovery and any administration of interrogatories.  On the basis of the matters pleaded, it cannot be said that such a claim cannot succeed.

43. Once it is shown that there is an arguable case that the 1st defendant played an active role in the sale, including giving directions and instructions to the Receivers, then there is no reason why it should not be under the duties to the 1st plaintiff and the 2nd plaintiff as pleaded in, inter alia, paragraphs 22 and 23 of the Statement of Claim.  This is in addition to the separate claim against the 1st and 2nd defendants for conspiracy using unlawful means.

Ground (4): Frivolous, Vexatious or Abuse of process of the court

44. I can also deal with this briefly by holding that I would not have struck out the plaintiffs’ claims against the 1st and 2nd defendants on this ground alone.

45. In short, I agree with Mr Lam that this ground is little more than an attempt to conduct a mini‑trial on affidavits in a striking out application.  Such an approach has been deprecated by the courts on numerous occasions, including in Ha Francesca v Tsai Kut Kan (No 1) [1982] HKC 382 (CA).  I agree that it is unnecessary for the plaintiffs to enter into a detailed debate on the merits at this early stage, particularly when the defendants have not yet filed a defence and discovery has not yet taken place.

Conclusion and Disposition

46. For the reasons stated above, I order that:

(1)    the plaintiffs’ Statement of Claim filed herein on 18 March 2014 as against the 1st and 2nd defendants be struck out; and

(2)    this action, as against the 1st and 2nd defendants, be dismissed.

47. I make a costs order nisi that the plaintiffs do pay to the 1st and 2nd defendants the costs of the 1st and 2nd defendants’ summons dated 27 May 2014 and their costs of this action (with a certificate for 2 counsel for the hearing on 22 and 23 October 2014), such costs to be taxed if not agreed and paid forthwith.  The costs order nisi shall become absolute in the absence of application to vary within 14 days. 

48. Lastly, I thank counsel for their helpful assistance in this matter.

(Wilson Chan)
Deputy High Court Judge

 

Mr Douglas Lam, instructed by Henry Wai & Co, for the plaintiffs

Mr Johnny Mok SC leading Mr Alexander Tang, instructed by Anthony Siu & Co, for the 1st and 2nd defendants