南京涵恩物資有限公司 v. WU HUI DI AND ANOTHER

南京涵恩物資有限公司 v. WU HUI DI AND ANOTHER

The court refused to make garnishee orders nisi absolute and refused to vary the Mareva injunctions because cumulative suspicious circumstances—timing inconsistencies, lack of objective documentary evidence of genuine loan terms, evolving and inconsistent affirmations, and doubts surrounding the debt settlement arrangements—justify a full investigatory trial to determine the bona fides of the judgment debts before enforcement may proceed.

Citation
[2025] HKCFI 1747
Parties
Plaintiff (hcmp 1472/1931): Nanjing Hanen Materials Co., Ltd (南京涵恩物資有限公司); 1st Defendant (hcmp 1472/1931): Wu Hui Di (吳惠娣); 2nd Defendant (hcmp 1472/1931): Wu Li (吳立); Plaintiff / Judgment Creditor (hca 1014/2021): Fengli Group (Hongkong) Co., Limited (豐立集團(香港)有限公司); Defendant / Judgment Debtor (hca 1014/1601): HT Steel (World) International Trade Holding Co., Limited (鴻泰鋼鐵（世界）國際貿易集團有限公司); Plaintiff / Judgment Creditor (hca 1601/2021): Ready Success Group Limited; Garnishee: Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited
Court
Court of First Instance
Jurisdiction
Hong Kong
Judgment Date
28 April 2025
Case Number
HCMP1931/2020
Procedural Posture
Interlocutory Proceedings: Enforcement of Registered Mainland Judgment, Garnishee Applications and Variation of Mareva Injunctions / Hearing on Applications for Garnishee Orders Absolute and Variation Summonses; Interlocutory Directions Ordered for Trial to Determine Bona Fides
Outcome
Application to make garnishee orders nisi absolute refused; application to vary Mareva injunctions refused; interlocutory trial directions ordered to determine bona fides; costs awarded to Nanjing Hanen
Legal Topics
Garnishee Order, Mareva Injunction, Variation of Injunction, Registration of Mainland Judgment, Bona Fides of Judgment Debt, Default Judgment, Interim Directions
Source Language
EN
Civil Procedure Enforcement of Foreign/mainland Judgments Injunctions Debt Recovery Corporate Restructuring Garnishee Order Mareva Injunction Variation of Injunction +4 more

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Parties

Nanjing Hanen Materials Co., Ltd (南京涵恩物資有限公司)

Plaintiff (hcmp 1472/1931)

Wu Hui Di (吳惠娣)

1st Defendant (hcmp 1472/1931)

Wu Li (吳立)

2nd Defendant (hcmp 1472/1931)

Fengli Group (Hongkong) Co., Limited (豐立集團(香港)有限公司)

Plaintiff / Judgment Creditor (hca 1014/2021)

HT Steel (World) International Trade Holding Co., Limited (鴻泰鋼鐵（世界）國際貿易集團有限公司)

Defendant / Judgment Debtor (hca 1014/1601)

Ready Success Group Limited

Plaintiff / Judgment Creditor (hca 1601/2021)

Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited

Garnishee

Procedural Posture

Interlocutory Proceedings: Enforcement of Registered Mainland Judgment, Garnishee Applications and Variation of Mareva Injunctions / Hearing on Applications for Garnishee Orders Absolute and Variation Summonses; Interlocutory Directions Ordered for Trial to Determine Bona Fides

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Which party bears the burden to prove the bona fides of the judgment debts
  2. 2 Whether the circumstances give rise to sufficient suspicion to investigate the bona fides of the judgment debts and refuse garnishee orders absolute/variation of Mareva injunctions

Ratio Decidendi

The court refused to make garnishee orders nisi absolute and refused to vary the Mareva injunctions because cumulative suspicious circumstances—timing inconsistencies, lack of objective documentary evidence of genuine loan terms, evolving and inconsistent affirmations, and doubts surrounding the debt settlement arrangements—justify a full investigatory trial to determine the bona fides of the judgment debts before enforcement may proceed.

Court Disposition

Application to make garnishee orders nisi absolute refused; application to vary Mareva injunctions refused; interlocutory trial directions ordered to determine bona fides; costs awarded to Nanjing Hanen

Orders

  • Nanjing Hanen to be joined as intervener in garnishee proceedings HCA 1014/2021 and HCA 1601/2021
  • The Judgment Creditors to be joined as interveners in HCMP 1472/2020 and HCMP 1931/2020 for the Variation Summonses