Former blackmail defendants face new lawsuit over HK$135 million Sunpec share deal
Three men who were cleared of blackmailing a former company chairman over a shares dispute are facing a new lawsuit related to a HK$135 million stock deal for the same firm, according to a High Court writ.
Three men who were cleared of blackmailing a former company chairman over a shares dispute are facing a new lawsuit related to a HK$135 million stock deal for the same firm, according to a High Court writ.
Mainland businessman Zhou Aiguo is suing Chan Kwai-nam, Ng Chi-keung and Koon Wing-yee for breaching a contract over a deal for 100 million shares in Sino Union Petroleum & Chemical International (Sunpec).
The three men were among five defendants acquitted earlier this year of threatening former Sunpec chairman Hui Chi-ming, a friend of Zhou's.
The new writ says Zhou and Chan signed a purchase agreement for 100 million Sunpec shares on March 26, 2009.
The deal allegedly stated Zhou would sell the shares to Chan for HK$135 million. Ng would be guarantor and Koon - a former chairman of the listed Easyknit Group - instructed Chan and Ng. The agreement prevented Ng from disposing of the shares within three months.
Zhou claims Ng asked him to meet in a coffee shop in Shenzhen on April 2, 2009. "As soon as [Zhou] arrived at the coffee shop, [Zhou] was immediately surrounded by [Ng] and a group of five to six men, all of whom behaved in a threatening manner," the writ says.