Daniel Isaac Henri Mimoun and Others v. Dragon Concept HK Ltd and Others

Read the full judgment text of HCCW 434/2012 on BabelCite. This High Court CFI judgment was delivered on 25 September 2020.

1. By summons dated 3 July 2020, the 2 nd respondent applies for certain orders seeking to bring these proceedings to an end. First, an order is sought for the petition to be dismissed, on the ground that the petitioners have failed to provide security in a sum of HK$700,000 or at all for the 2 nd respondent’s costs as ordered by this court on 15 July 2015, alternatively on the ground of want of prosecution.

Cited by 5 cases · Cites 1 case

Case No.HCCW 434/2012[2020] HKCFI 2535
Court
High Court CFI
Date25 Sep 2020
Judge
Case Document
100%Judiciary

HCCW 434/2012

[2020] HKCFI 2535

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

COMPANIES (WINDING‑UP) PROCEEDINGS NO 434 OF 2012

____________

 

IN THE MATTER of the Companies Ordinance, Chapter 32

 

and

 

IN THE MATTER of DRAGON CONCEPT HK LIMITED(龍圖香港有限公司)

____________

BETWEEN    
  DANIEL ISAAC HENRI MIMOUN 1st Petitioner
  RAPHAËL VITTORIO MIMOUN 2nd Petitioner
  EXCEL FUTURE DEVELOPMENT LIMITED
(佳順發展有限公司)
3rd Petitioner

and

  DRAGON CONCEPT HK LIMITED
(龍圖香港有限公司)
1st Respondent
  CAMERON INVESTMENTS LIMITED 2nd Respondent
  FRANCK DAVID ISAAC BERREBI 3rd Respondent
  AND BETWEEN  
  RAPHAËL VITTORIO MIMOUN,
AXELLE LIZA DYA MIMOUN,
TIFFANY FORTUNE MARINE MIMOUN
and SIMON SACHA MIMOUN,
beneficiaries of the estate of
DANIEL ISAAC HENRI MIMOUN, Deceased
1st Petitioner
  RAPHAËL VITTORIO MIMOUN 2nd Petitioner
  EXCEL FUTURE DEVELOPMENT LIMITED
(佳順發展有限公司)
3rd Petitioner

and

  DRAGON CONCEPT HK LIMITED
(龍圖香港有限公司)
1st Respondent
  CAMERON INVESTMENTS LIMITED 2nd Respondent
  FRANCK DAVID ISAAC BERREBI 3rd Respondent

____________

Before: Hon G Lam J in Court

Date of Hearing:  25 September 2020

Date of Decision:  25 September 2020

_________________

D E C I S I O N

__________________

1.By summons dated 3 July 2020, the 2nd respondent applies for certain orders seeking to bring these proceedings to an end. First, an order is sought for the petition to be dismissed, on the ground that the petitioners have failed to provide security in a sum of HK$700,000 or at all for the 2nd respondent’s costs as ordered by this court on 15 July 2015, alternatively on the ground of want of prosecution.

2.It does seem to me unacceptable for a set of winding up proceedings to have been stayed for such a lengthy period for failure to provide security for costs.  There has not been any step taken by the petitioners to proceed with their petition.  The 3rd petitioner, a Hong Kong company used as the 1st petitioner’s vehicle to hold shares in the company, has itself been wound up for insolvency, and its liquidators have consented to the dismissal of the petition in these proceedings.  The 1st petitioner’s children (who have been carrying on the petition on behalf of the 1st petitioner’s estate) and the 2nd petitioner appear all to reside outside Hong Kong.  They have been served with the present summons and supporting papers (and for the avoidance of doubt I give retrospective leave for service out of the jurisdiction) but they have failed to appear this morning or give any written response to it, from which it seems to me they have abandoned these proceedings.  There is ample basis for dismissing the petition in the circumstances: Sunchase International Group (China) Ltd v Vincor Group of Companies (Investment) Ltd (FAMV 21/2004, 22 February 2005).  I shall therefore dismiss the petition with costs against the petitioners to the 2nd respondent.

3.Secondly, an order is sought for the sum of approximately HK$1.52 million paid into court on behalf of the company pursuant to the order of Harris J dated 23 August 2013 be paid out to the company.  There appears to be no dispute that the money has always belonged to the company and that it was paid into court simply because the provisional liquidators of the company were discharged in August 2013 and unable to handle a cashier’s order representing the bank account balance of the company.  Upon the dismissal of the petition, the money paid into court ought to be disposed of.  There will be an order accordingly.

(Godfrey Lam)
Judge of the Court of First Instance
High Court

The 1st and 2nd Petitioners were not represented and did not appear

The 3rd Petitioner was excused from attendance

Mr Terrence Tai, instructed by Oldham, Li & Nie, for the 2nd Respondent