The Affidavit Evidence of the Applicant
22 The Applicant relies upon an affidavit of Mr Joseph Severin sworn 1 March 2005, an affidavit of Ms Ece Mustafa‑Ay sworn 4 March 2005 and filed on 10 March 2005, an affidavit of Ms Lisa Busch sworn 2 March 2005 and filed 7 March 2005, a further affidavit of Ms Ece Mustafa Ay sworn 17 March 2006 and filed 6 April 2006 and two affidavits of Mr Peter Mills one sworn and filed on 10 March 2005 and the other sworn and filed on 15 March 2005.
23 The affidavit evidence of the Applicant is in these terms.
24 The Applicant is a company incorporated on 10 January 2000 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, West Indies. The Managing Director of the Applicant is Mr Joseph Severin. The Applicant Company is a personal investment vehicle of Mr Severin. At some time during the course of 2001, Mr Severin had discussions with a Mr John Wilch about international financial transactions. Mr Wilch introduced Mr Severin to a number of people with whom Mr Severin might invest funds. Mr Wilch was associated with a company called Bainton Investments Pty Ltd ("Bainton") located in Canada. Mr Severin was told by Mr Wilch that Bainton provided investment advisory services.
25 In March 2001, Mr Wilch told Mr Severin that Mr David Wallader was a financial adviser and investment professional. Mr Severin says that on 1 March 2001 he spoke from Grenada on the telephone to Mr Wallader who told him he was a veteran of banking transactions and was a dealer in bank debenture notes. Mr Severin has never met Mr Wallader. Mr Wallader told Mr Severin in April 2001 that he had interests in the cattle industry. Mr Severin also has interests in the cattle industry. Mr Severin says these common interests made him trusting of Mr Wallader.
26 Mr Severin says that he agreed to apply the Applicant's funds to an investment in bank debenture notes and transfer US$2 million to Mr Wallader for investment for that purpose. Mr Severin says he always regarded Mr Wallader as the principal in this arrangement.
27 Mr Wallader sent Mr Severin an agreement to facilitate the investment. The agreement was one made between the First Respondent described as the "Opportunity Provider" and the Applicant described as "The Capital Investor". The agreement is a two page document which records that the parties have entered into the agreement for the purpose of creating profits by a mode of investment described as "Private Placement High Yield Investment". The Opportunity Provider was to facilitate the investment of the funds.
28 The Capital Investor agreed to provide the Opportunity Provider with US$2 million described as "The Principal Sum", under a "joint venture agreement between the Opportunity Provider and The Capital Investor … only on the basis that the said joint venture agreement protects and guarantees the return of The Principal Sum to The Capital Investor at the end of the said joint venture agreement. At this time, the Opportunity Provider agrees to return The Principal Sum in its entirety to The Capital Investor."
29 The duration of this agreement was to be 40 weeks within a total period of 12 months from the date of the agreement or such shorter or longer period as the parties might determine. The document provides by clause 7 that all profit arising from the investment is to be the "property of The Capital Investor in shares equal to an amount of net 100% per week to The Capital Investor for a term of 40 weeks from the start of trading". Notwithstanding clause 7, the distribution of profits, made weekly, from the capital invested was to be 82.5% to the Applicant, 5% to Mr Wallader and 12.5% to Mr John Wilch and an entity described as "Bainton Management Ltd". It seems for the purposes of the agreement that Bainton Management and Mr Wilch are one and the same. The duty assumed under the agreement by the First Respondent was to provide the Applicant with the "contracts and expertise, advice, information and know-how to enable the purpose of the investment to be realised and [shall] provide management advice and information to The Capital Investor".
30 Mr Severin on behalf of the Applicant signed the agreement dated 30 March 2001 at Grand Anse, St Georges, Grenada and faxed it to the First Respondent care of Mr Wallader. Mr Wallader signed the document and on 2 April 2001 wrote to Mr Severin thanking him for the documents, confirmed the execution of the document, noted where profits from the investment were to be transmitted and said "it is expected that the contracts [investment contracts] will be drawn during the latter part of this week and the start date should be within the nominated time. You have the details of my Company Bank Account. Once you have remitted the funds, would you kindly forward a copy of the remittance documents so I may communicate with my bank if required". The letter bears the signature of W D Wallader. No objection is taken to paragraph 9 of the affidavit of Mr Severin exhibiting the letter from the First Respondent signed by Mr Wallader which exhibits a clear and precise example of Mr Wallader's signature.
31 The agreement of 30 March 2001 further provided that the Opportunity Provider agreed to provide the Applicant with a guarantee. The documents also included a Deed of Investment Guarantee and Indemnity. That document was signed by Mr Severin and faxed to Mr Wallader. It contemplated a guarantor "unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteeing to the investor (the Applicant), the repayment of The Principal Sum (US$2 million) and Dividends AND the Guarantor as a separate and independent principal obligation indemnify and hold safe the investor against any loss or expense whatsoever and howsoever arising in connection with the investment".
32 The document defined the guarantor by reference to a schedule, described the guarantee as a continuing guarantee, acknowledged that the guarantor had obtained independent legal advice as to the effect of the document and recognised that the guarantee would be valid notwithstanding certain nominated events.
33 The difficulty with the document is that the schedule nominating the identity of the guarantor simply recited the name of the First Respondent which was the principal under the related agreement in any event. Mr Severin says the guarantee was to be a personal guarantee by Mr Wallader not simply another documented commitment by the First Respondent. It seems the document as submitted to Mr Severin contained the reference to the First Respondent in the schedule as guarantor. Mr Severin says he simply did not read the document properly and assumed Mr Wallader was the nominated guarantor.
34 Mr Severin says that on 30 March 2001 he caused a bank transfer to be made on behalf of the Applicant of US$2 million into an account nominated by Mr Wallader. The funds were transferred to the credit of an account in the name of the First Respondent with the National Australia Bank Ltd bearing an account description COMWFUSD1 and an additional code described as SWFT Code NATAAU3304B. Mr Severin says that the National Australia Bank records verify the transfer and that at no stage either orally or in writing has either Respondent contended to Mr Severin that the funds have not been received. On 29 March 2001, Mr Severin sent Mr Wallader a letter by facsimile confirming the instruction to his bank to transfer funds to the credit of the First Respondent at the above account.
35 Mr Severin says that on 22 May 2001 he received a copy of a letter from Mr Wilch to Mr Wallader which had the effect of advising Mr Severin that Mr Wallader had not been able to place the Applicant's funds into a pool for investment for particular reasons.
36 Mr Severin says that since that time, he has not received any further correspondence from Mr Wallader or the First Respondent advising him of the actual location of the Applicant's funds or the placement of those funds for investment purposes.
37 Mr Severin says that subsequent to the provision of the Applicant's funds for investment and the expiry of the 40 weeks contemplated by the agreement, Mr Severin spoke to Mr Wallader regularly about when the funds would be returned. These telephone calls took place frequently, often daily. Mr Severin says he always initiated these calls. Mr Wallader apparently never returned any telephone calls. Mr Severin says that on pressing for information about the return of the funds, Mr Wallader's tone became evasive. Mr Severin says he was given many assurances by Mr Wallader that the funds would be returned in the near future. Mr Severin made a demand upon Mr Wallader for return of the funds in early 2002 by telephone and sought return of the funds by facsimile letter sent to Mr Wallader in July or August 2002.
38 Within six months of the transfer of the Applicant's funds to the First Respondent, Mr Severin spoke with Mr Wallader and was told that notwithstanding the reference to Bainton Management in the agreement of 30 March 2001, neither Bainton Management nor Mr Wilch continued to have a role in the performance of the investment agreement. Accordingly, Mr Severin did not pursue Mr Wilch about the matter further.
39 Mr Severin says that on two or possibly three occasions in telephone discussion with Mr Wallader between June 2003 and 1 March 2005, Mr Wallader told Mr Severin the Applicant's funds had been moved to Switzerland where other entities were in charge of them. Mr Wallader did not identify any individual or the relevant entity involved, the nature of that entity or any details of how the Applicant's funds were held. Mr Severin says that notwithstanding these things, the Applicant did not commence legal proceedings for some considerable time because Mr Severin believed that the Applicant's funds were to join a "pool" for investment with other funds and if that pooled investment could not be achieved the funds would be returned to the Applicant.
40 Mr Severin says that he ultimately elected to appoint commercial agents, Australian Receivables Pty Ltd ("ARL"), to try and recover the funds either from the First Respondent or Mr Wallader.
41 Ms Lisa Busch is an account manager employed by ARL. ARL received instructions on 22 July 2004 from the Applicant to try and recover the Applicant's funds from the Respondents. On 23 July 2004, Ms Busch spoke on the telephone to Mr Wallader and asked him what his intentions were about repayment of the Applicant's funds. Mr Busch says the conversation was lengthy and pleasant. Ms Busch says Mr Wallader's advice was that "repayment of the Applicant's funds 'wasn't an issue' and the Applicant could wait for the investment to mature in 45 to 50 days with interest but if the Applicant wanted the money to be withdrawn it would still take 45 to 60 days to retrieve the funds".
42 Mr Severin expressed scepticism about this advice from Mr Wallader. On 28 July 2004, Ms Busch conveyed that scepticism to Mr Wallader in a telephone call and on the same day ARL sent a letter to Mr Wallader by facsimile advising that ARL had instructions to exhaust all avenues of recovery of the Applicant's funds should the redemption of the investment not be resolved immediately. ARL sought confirmation in writing from Mr Wallader explaining the process necessary to redeem the investment. ARL advised that upon receipt of satisfactory proof that the monies would be available within 60 days, no legal proceedings would be necessary. This confirmation was sought by 4 August 2004.
43 On 3 August 2004, Ms Busch received a letter from Mr Wallader on the letterhead of the First Respondent. Mr Wallader said this:
"I refer to your letter of 28 July 2004.
…
I have never met with your Client. He came to me through a party based in Canada. The request was to place funds in a 'high yield program' which are completed in United States dollars and that investment, in this case, lodged for investment 'off shore', not in Australia. Funds are held in a pool pending entering into a program, and can only be entered into a program when sufficient funds are available and a program is also available. There is no time given or guarantee when a fund may start to earn.
Principal funds are refundable when the party, this being Lifetime Investments Ltd, or Mr Joseph Severin make written application for the funds to be returned and confirming that the party have no further interest in the proposed investment. This has never been received from Lifetime Investments Ltd or Mr Severin. I do not have an address of Mr Severin or any contact numbers of Mr Severin. I do have contact numbers and address of the party in Canada.
The lead time for completion of such withdrawal is normally 60 days from the date the request is received plus the time normal transfers take between banks.
Investments of this status are completed under non-disclosure and confidential documentation.
You state that you will be issuing Court documents on the company and individual names. Any such documentation will be strenuously defended as the company does not hold the funds.
Since receipt of your letter, I confirm that I have been in contact with the nominee Investor and have advised the Group that withdrawal of the funds is required. There is no objection, however written request for withdrawal is required. Please consider the time difference we all encounter in communication with off shore Constituents.
I have spoken with my solicitor re the contents of your letter and in need [indeed] he will confirm my actions as nominated above. He has been unavailable for the past few days due to conference and court commitments.
I confirm to you that I am prepared to have the funds refunded to your Client on full satisfaction of his notice of withdrawal and confirmation where such amount is to be paid. Payment will be in United States dollars.
I will confirm a settlement date of the 60 day period on receipt of the withdrawal notice.
I have no interest in holding any monies of your Client.
Your urgent attention of obtaining an official withdrawal notice from your Client is requested. I undertake to have this matter resolved without delay and time being of the essence.
Yours faithfully,
W D Wallader"
44 Ms Busch says Mr Wallader's letter of 3 August 2004 was the first occasion Mr Wallader advised Ms Busch that a formal written application for redemption of the funds would be necessary. Mr Wallader describes the instrument as a "notice of withdrawal". Ms Busch says she had further conversations with Mr Wallader in which Mr Wallader said he could not disclose information concerning the placement of the funds due to reasons of confidentiality.
45 Ms Busch says that in order to secure the redemption of the investment, she drew up a document she described as a "notice of withdrawal". The document was faxed to Mr Severin, signed by him and on 11 August 2004 the document dated 5 August 2004 was sent by facsimile transmission to Mr Wallader and the First Respondent. The document required a refund of US$2 million being the amount of the funds deposited with the First Respondent pursuant to the agreement of 30 March 2001. The notice nominated the trust account of ARL at the National Australia Bank as the account for receipt of the monies and provided the details of the account.
46 Ms Busch says the notice of withdrawal was formulated simply to provide the instrument Mr Wallader asserted was necessary in order to effect the refund of the monies.
47 On 11 August 2004, Ms Busch spoke by telephone with Mr Wallader to confirm the transmission of the notice of withdrawal by facsimile. Mr Wallader confirmed the relevant facsimile transmission number.
48 On 17 August 2004, Ms Busch spoke with Mr Wallader. Mr Wallader told Ms Busch that he would be in Singapore for a few days. Ms Busch suggested Mr Wallader might like to take the opportunity of meeting with ARL's managing director, Mr Paul Cooney who would also be in Singapore at that time. Ms Busch says that Mr Wallader's disposition and manner in the conversation changed immediately. Mr Wallader became abrupt and curt. Mr Wallader said that he would be flying from Singapore that night to go to Europe to "try and fast track the withdrawal of the funds". Ms Busch says this was the only conversation or other communication in which Mr Wallader provided any indication of the location of the funds. Ms Busch asked Mr Wallader for the details of the solicitor for the Respondents and Mr Wallader refused to give Ms Busch those details. Mr Wallader said he was "doing everything he could".
49 On 24 August 2004, Mr Cooney sent Mr Wallader a letter again confirming the transmission of the notice of withdrawal on 11 August 2004 and confirming ARL's authority to receive the funds and, in effect, therefore provide the Respondents with a good "discharge" upon receipt of the funds.
50 On 20 August 2004, Ms Busch received an email from Mr Wallader's email address under the name of Mr Wallader. Mr Wallader referred to the facsimile of 11 August 2004 and Ms Busch's telephone conversation which he says took place on 18 rather than 17 August 2004. Mr Wallader says:
"…
Notice of withdrawal dated August 5, 2004 has been received with your facsimile of 11 August, 2004.
…
Notice of withdrawal has been lodged and accepted on Wednesday 18 August, 2004. Therefore settlement draw down will be 17 October, 2004, plus the normal Bank remittance/transfer time of the remittance of funds. It is noted that funds are to be placed in an account with the National Australia Bank - your [ARL] trust account. I assume that such an account is a US dollar account as the party will be lodging funds in USD currency. No liability of cost of conversion or delay in acceptance of the funds will be the care of the remitter.
I have noted words exchanged in our conversation of 18 August, 2004.
A number of your comments are resented and will be discussed with my Solicitor on my return to Australia. Our company does not owe your Client; your Client wished to enter into an investment which now he has nominated 'no further interest in the investment'. I, on behalf of Commercial Worldwide Financial Services Pty Ltd, have lodged the notice of withdrawal and you have now been advised of the settlement date.
My letter of 3 August is clear and concise.
…
It would be advisable for your Company to have a clear understanding what your Client in fact invested in before making any further threats on myself or my Company.
Yours faithfully
W D Wallader"
51 Although Mr Wallader confirmed the acceptance and lodging of a request for redemption of the funds with whatever group held the funds, he nevertheless said that he would require additional confirmation from ARL that the notice had been issued with the authority of the Applicant and Mr Severin and that ARL had authority to receive the funds on behalf of the Applicant and Mr Severin.
52 The notice of withdrawal had been signed by Mr Severin.
53 Ms Busch says that the statement in the email of 20 August 2004 was the first occasion either orally or in writing that Mr Wallader asserted to Ms Busch that the First Respondent did not owe the Applicant the monies demanded.
54 Ms Busch says that the reference in the email to ARL establishing a clear understanding with Mr Severin of the investment before making "threats" seemed odd. Ms Busch says she had spoken to Mr Wallader on a number of occasions and on three occasions to her recollection Mr Wallader suggested the Applicant knew and understood the investment was unreliable as to its date of refund or return.
55 On 25 August 2004, Ms Busch sent Mr Wallader an email noting the proposed settlement date for draw down of the funds of 17 October 2004 and the nomination of ARL's National Australia Bank trust account. Ms Busch confirmed that the account was not a US dollar account however the National Australia Bank had been advised of the expected transfer and all costs of transfer would be accepted by ARL. As to the question of further proof of ARL's authority, Ms Busch sent a further copy of the letter from Mr Cooney and noted that ARL had been provided as proof of the debt with a copy of the agreement of 30 March 2001. Ms Busch requested further confirmation that the notice of withdrawal had been lodged with the "investment group" spoken of by Mr Wallader.
56 On 27 August 2004, Mr Wallader telephoned Ms Busch and told her he was not in Australia but that the Respondents were happy with the form of the notice of withdrawal provided by the Applicant and its agents and that he would be returning to Australia in a week and a half at which stage Ms Busch would be provided with confirmation of the location of the funds.
57 On 9 September 2004, Ms Busch attempted to further contact Mr Wallader and was advised by a person who described herself as Mrs Wallader that Mr Wallader would be returning to Australia in a further three weeks. On 9 September 2004, Ms Busch sent Mr Wallader an email in these terms:
"It has been seven weeks since this office first contacted you and we are yet to receive the documentation required to defer the involvement of other authorities.
Our client is unsatisfied that the monies due will be forthcoming as stated by you. We must insist that you provide this office with evidence from an appropriate party, directly involved with this transaction, which confirms the monies are being withdrawn from the investment and will be deposited into the bank account details previously provided to you.
Furthermore, it is noted that the agreement dated 30/03/2001 was to run for 40 weeks and there is no clause relating to the 60 day withdrawal period you continue to claim is required. Documented clarification is also necessary on this point.
Please have the above issues addressed immediately".
58 On 13 September 2004, Ms Busch received an email from Mr Wallader. In that email Mr Wallader says that he is tired of Ms Busch's unwarranted criticism. Mr Wallader says that he will consider what action might be taken against ARL, Ms Busch and possibly the applicant company should Ms Busch wish to continue pressing her position. Mr Wallader describes Ms Busch's conduct as continual harassment. As to the observation that the agreement did not require a 60 day notice of withdrawal, Mr Wallader observed that Ms Busch had embraced the notion of a notice of withdrawal and a 60 day period of notice. Mr Wallader repeats that ARL has been advised that the notice of withdrawal has been accepted and a date arranged for settlement of the return of the investment funds. Mr Wallader describes the pressure from Ms Busch for further confirmation as harassment and the suggestion that the managing director of ARL might meet with Mr Wallader in Singapore as audacious.
59 As to the 40 week investment period, Mr Wallader says, "The 40 week period is an investment period for a high yield program if and when that program commenced". In the context of Mr Wallader's annoyance about pressure for confirmation by Ms Busch, Mr Wallader reiterates strongly the arrangements in relation to the withdrawal of funds, the acceptance of the settlement date of 17 October and the settled arrangements as to the banking details for receipt of the refund of the investment monies.
60 Mr Wallader seems to be sufficiently annoyed about the demands from Ms Busch that he suggests he might take legal action against her. As to the request for information concerning the investment of the monies, Mr Wallader says, "We will discuss your request for additional information to be supplied. Confidential means - secret, private entrusted with confidence - I have such an arrangement with others and I will not break that confidentiality without legal advice".
61 Mr Wallader seems to be talking about the confidentiality of the arrangements he has with others as to the investment which prevents him from advising his own contracting party of the details of the investment of that party's monies notwithstanding the description in the agreement of the Applicant as a joint venturer with the First Respondent.
62 On Monday, 13 September 2004, Mr Cooney responded to Mr Wallader's email in these terms:
"… I am comfortable with the matters referred to by you as harassment are taken to whatever authorities you deem appropriate, as the history of the file supports the consistent request and in fact the agreement, that some evidence supporting the assertions that a notice of withdrawal has been given and that the funds will be paid on 17 October. I do not believe there has been inappropriate contact with you in all the circumstances. We have provided all of the details requested by you, and have consistently asked for some satisfactory form of confirmation that this is not just a delaying tactic.
The fact that you are overseas, for an indeterminate period, is of course no concern of ours, but the fact that you are overseas should equally not mean you are unable to complete the undertaking that you made. I am sure you appreciate that the sum involved is not insignificant, that you have had control of the funds for a long period, and that my client is seeking repayment of the principal sum only. It is encouraging that we have your emailed advice that it will be repaid, but we simply seek some form of confirmation that this is the case."
63 On 7 October 2004, Ms Busch spoke to Mr Wallader by telephone concerning the return of the funds. Mr Wallader said he would "sought it out when he was back in the country". Ms Busch suggested Mr Wallader was not out of Australia and Mr Wallader replied, "I've only just returned". Ms Busch sought confirmation that nothing had changed concerning the refund of the monies and Mr Wallader confirmed 17 October 2004 as the drawdown date for the refund.
64 On 19 October 2004, Ms Busch telephoned Mr Wallader as no information had been received as to the refund. Mr Wallader said the drawdown had not occurred because 17 October 2004 was a Sunday. Mr Wallader said he would be "in contact" with "people" about the drawdown. Ms Busch asked if she could contact the relevant people. Mr Wallader declined and said he did not know where he stood legally in giving their details.
65 No refund occurred on 17 October 2004 or at all.
66 Ms Mustafa‑Ay is a solicitor employed by Harwood Andrews, the solicitors for the Applicant. On 11 October 2004, Ms Mustafa-Ay wrote to the First Respondent addressed to Mr Wallader confirming the arrangement for the drawdown and refund of the monies on 17 October 2004. On 22 October 2004, the solicitors for the Respondents, Watts & Company, wrote to Harwood Andrews proposing repayments of US$50,000.00 per month without admission of liability but put on the basis of a "gesture of goodwill … until such time as our client is able to arrange for repatriation of the principal of USD$2m (million)".
67 On 9 November 2004, Watts & Company wrote to Harwood Andrews addressing certain issues and said:
"We would be greatly assisted if you would direct our attention to any documentation in your possession which identifies Mr William David Wallader as a party to this transaction. Likewise, would you please identify any documentation which has the implication, either express or implied of investing any personal liability in Mr Wallader. We look forward to hearing from you within seven days."
68 On 1 December 2004, Watts & Company wrote a "without prejudice" letter to Harwood Andrews. It is Exhibit "EMA3" to the affidavit of Ms Mustafa-Ay filed 10 March 2005. It is marked "without prejudice". No objection is made to the exhibit. In terms, the letter does not make an offer but rather states a proposition, namely, "Our client is attempting to ensure the urgent repatriation of the funds to this jurisdiction from their external source, and would expect that upon receipt of the monies, settlement of the repayment of funds due to your client can take place within 14 to 21 days".
69 On 19 January 2005, Ms Mustafa-Ay noted the funds had not been repaid and said:
"We request that you urgently seek your client's instructions and detail in writing the following:
(a) where the principal sum has been invested/deposited/dispensed;
(b) where the principal sum is now located;
(c) what the principal sum has been invested in (if at all); and
(d) if in fact the principal sum has been lost.
We request that you advise our office of the above no later than Monday, 24 January 2005."