Rechtbank Overijssel, 02-03-2016, ECLI:NL:RBOVE:2016:655, C/08/171859 / HA ZA 15-280

Holland Trading is een onderneming in gebruikt materieel zoals vrachtwagens, boormachines en aggregaten. Modac is een in Sierra Leone gevestigde onderneming. De directeur van Modac is [X] . Tijdens de ebola-uitbraak in september 2014 heeft [X] de heer [Y] , directeur van Holland Trading, benaderd met de mededeling dat hij op zoek is naar onder meer Unimog-ambulances en het verzoek daarover van gedachten te wisselen.

Netfreigt is een zakenrelatie van Modac en heeft in opdracht van Modac op of omstreeks 18 september 2014 een bedrag van € 100.000,00 aanbetaald aan Holland Trading.

Op 8 september schrijft [Y] aan [X] :I have found 100 pieces unimog ambulance eath go for euro 19.000

transport en profit to port euro 1250 eath.

(…)

Op 12 september 2014 bericht [Y] aan [X] :anny ammount is good for me then i go and block.alsmede:In the begin of the week i write to you that there is competition on the unimogs

If we want it fast (dillivery - shipment in 3 weeks) then we need to make paiment eather down paiment.

As soon the monney is in Holland i take the cheque book and block all the 100 pieces.

Please make the paiment.

Op 17 sep 2014 schrijft [Y] aan [X]if you send this euro 100.000 into the account of Holland Trading bv today, and when it arrive friday then i be with this people monday morning

The get the contract for arround 100 unimog typ 1300-435 ex army ex german army, never have anny work done after army time, they are in stock

And availebal, as soon the monney is in the account i go and block this units.

i the writing i did before we have asked to be fast there is competition for this units, this written letter is one week ago

The trucks are still there, please if you want this unimog s please no delay and make paiment.

Op 17 september 2014 schrijft [X] aan de heer [Z] , directeur van Netfreight, met een kopie aan [Y] :Made Enquiries to [Y] this morning and I forward this for your information.

[Y] is asking for 1250 euro for his profit and transportation of each ambulance to Antwerp, and each ambulance cost 19,000 euro each.

I think it’s ok and I implore you to secure these 100 pieces right away.

Holland Trading stuurt op 17 september 2014 per e-mail aan [X] :

PROFORMA INVOICE

100 pieces unimog typ 435-ul300 4x4 Ambulance ex German Army all dillivered with Four beds as is original for Army standard, all the unimogs are in running condition, the Final price is included dillivery tot Antwerp Belgium including custom documents.

100 unimog typ 435/u1300 ambulange euro 20.250,-- plus Shipment 2.700 euro Eath item totall cost per unit euro 22.950,-- C.I.F. Freetown Sierra Leone.

When the down paiment is in account we make contract with the owner, all as discust before. Is the paiment in the account then it is not a problem to get 1 week time for final paiment, but to make aggrement we need paiment urgently.

Op 18 september 2014 stort Netfreight een bedrag op de rekening van Holland Trading. Het bewijs van overschrijving vermeldt onder meer:

Betrag: 100.000,00 EUR

Verwendungszweck (Zeile 1): Downpayment 100 x Unimog typ 435

Bij e-mail van 18 september 2014 schrijft [Z] aan [Y] :(…)

möchten Ihnen hiermit bestätigen, dass wir euro 100.000,- auf Ihr Konto Rabo Bank überwiesen haben. Möchten Sie bitten den Erhalt des Betrages sowie die Sicherung der Fahrzeuge schnellstmöglich zu quittieren, damit wir Freetown entsprechend unterrichten können.

In de e-mail van 22 september 2014 laat [Y] aan [X] weten:(…)

Today we talk to this people from the unimog they want to give us 70 pieces of unimog, when we deposit of 100.000 euro.

The balange they give us 2 weeks time to finish full paiment

the unimogs are going directly from them to the port transport is for us.

All ambulange are getting good battery so that they are directly running

They will check all trucks for oil and diesel

All ambulange will have 4 beds compleet eath unimog

We need from you the ballange within 2 weeks and authorisation to pay this 100.000 euro

Also we need special permitt to bring this unimogs to sierra leone

This is taking also 2 weeks max about the cost ? max euro 1000 all

[X] antwoordt daarop bij e-mail van 22 september 2014, 18.50 uur:

You have my permission to pay the 100,000 euro and the 1000 Euro for the permit to bring it to Sierra Leone is ok by me.

Please let me know when it’s done, so that I can take the next step.

Mr. [Z] sent the money in the first place to secure the UNIMOG Ambulances.

Bij copy of this letter he Will be informed accordingly.

Een kwartier later (22 september 2014, 19.09 uur) stelt [X] een aantal vragen over de Unimog-ambulances, onder meer of de ambulances niet gebruikt zijn, of ze goed onderhouden zijn en of ze hetzelfde zijn als de voorbeelden in de afbeeldingen die [Y] eerder heeft verstuurd. Hij merkt daarbij op:

Thanks so much for your understanding. After 20 years I should not be asking these questions but you have to understand that some people are offering similar ambulance from Belgium, that have been deployed in peace keeping operations, wars en have been commercialized, when they come back, they will respray them nicely en put them back in the market as if they are from the Army.

De volgende dag, op 23 september 2014, 5:03, schrijft hij aan [Y] :

Why are your people tell us 100, and now they only want tot give us 70?

I have a feeling they have sold the 30 pieces to some body in Belgium for Sierra Leone?

Please ask them because that’s why we want to block all. We already said 100 units now we look funny if we say 70. (…)

Please confirm 100, because I am going to the meeting this morning!!

If he has sold the 30 pieces, I am very worried!!!!!!

Please give me an answer, I have known you for twenty years now, your word is your word.

I know some people are looking but please block 100 UNIMOG Ambulance oke? But he already sold the 30 just tell me.

[Y] reageert daarop door op 23 september 2014 aan [X] te schrijven:

This people prommest me that they have sold non to sierra leone

There are more to come but for this down paiment they do not want to block more unimog ambulange

if you take care for more down paiment, then we get the other also.

Op 23 september 2014 zendt Holland Trading per e-mail aan [X] :PROFORMA INVOICE

AS DISCUSSEDDepossid 100.000,-- EUR has been made.

Terms for full payment: 14 days after today

70 pieces off unimog typ 435-U1300 Ambulange

In running working condition eath item euro 20.250 € 1.417.500,--

Shipment eath item euro 2.700,-- € 189.000,--

Totall € 1.606.500,--

Op 9 oktober 2014 schrijft [X] aan [Z] :

(...)

My impression is that they will want to see the five Ambulance you promised before they can put in the order, because of an experience they just hard with a vendor, who supplied them some mixed new with used Toyota Ambulance as new. They just cancelled the other of 70 that was to be supplied by that company.

If you let [Y] ship the 5 as sample from Antwerp they will be here in 2 weeks and we can then use one stone to kill two birds, that is you tot fulfill your promise to HE the President to protect your name and reputation and show them as samples of the product we are offering for sale. (...)

Op 10 oktober 2014 laat [Y] aan [X] weten:(...)

the companie want to give us up to 14 oktober to pay for, that is the last they dothey have started the change of battery and oil etc etc and prepar all the trucks for transport, buy road and sea, incl export documents.

They are not willing to balange your money this is for there work and down paiment of buying all this unimogs also the companie not want to wait any longer after 14 oktober after this they are free to sell again to other party.

(…)

[X] antwoordt op 10 oktober 2014 aan [Y] onder meer:

(…)

These ambulance is for EBOLA and about 100 to 200 of our people are dying everyday and you say forget all? No we can not forget it all and their is a huge market for them unfortunately based on the lives of our people.

All I asked was that you send the 5 trucks paid for by a Good Samaritan Mr [Z] as sample who is also willing to pay for the freight and you are talking about not returning my balance? I did not ask for balance mr [Y] , I asked that you send five of the Ambulance as samples if the ambulance you want to sell us is good and if all the claim you made is correct. (…)The sooner you send them the sooner we can place order for the large order.

[Y] schrijft op 11 oktober 2014 aan [X] :

The 5 unimog trucks on the yard are yours if you pay for them.

we will send them to antwerp, those are not payd of your money.

The monney you send us, we depossited as we discused to the company who have these unimogs for that they give you 3 weeks time to complete the money and they started to make them run. and inspect all the vehicles. as discussed you wanted to hurry, and we made arrangements to deliver on short notice. we have been wayting on a payment from your side. The trucks are ready for one week now.

Op 12 oktober 2014 antwoordt [X] :

(..) You gave specifications of the UNIMOG Ambulance you intend to supply as directly from the reserve stock of the German military.Which had not been used, but kept in the storage well serviced and maintained. now you are telling a story of oil check, battery change, running condition etc! That’s what I have marketed for I did not asked you, never to change oil, fix new batteries, because that is standard things you should and you nomally do all these years.

(…)

We did not say we dont want the Ambulances anymore? We are only asking you to send the 5 samples you’ve purchased in the past couple of weeks so that they can see samples of the 100 UNIMOG Ambulance you want to sell to us before they place their order (…)

Bij e-mail van 14 oktober 2014 schrijft [X] aan [Y] :(…)

I will give you till Sunday the 19 of october for you to delivery the 5 unimog ambulance 435/1300L Ex-Military ambulance paid for by mr [Z] to Antwerp. (…)You still have the opportunity to sell you seventy ambulance and make your small commission and your small profit if you still want to, but you first of all send the people’s unimog ambulance period and that’s not negotiable.

Op 16 oktober 2014 schrijft [Y] aan [X] :To move forward the past days i have been talking tot he seller several times. He assured me again, if you do not take them, your depossid will be gone.

He is understanding the possition, your country is in, and has aggreed to send 4 samples, if you pay for them.

[X] antwoordt daarop bij e-mail van 16 oktober 2014:

Seen the mails you sent but could not see where it is stated that I shoudl forfeit the 100,000 euro.

(…)We are still very much interested in up to 150 Ambulances if they are available AND ONLY AFTR WE HAVE SEEN THE SAMPLES!!

[Y] reageert bij e-mail van 17 oktober 2014:Once again i send you the scaned file,

wich you clearly order me to pay the 100.000 as depossid

and also the 2 weeks tot complete the money.

wich we got extended for a week. wich was due last tueseday.

it is not us, but the suplier of the trucks who order that.

In the mail also is written that they will replace the batterys and fil them with diesel and oil, wich you are complaining about now.We made a deal for 70, and not 150. (…)

[X] schrijft vervolgens aan [Y] op 17 oktober 2014:I send this to refresh your memory. You told us 100 and after the deposit you said 70?My dear brother [Y] , it does not matter if it is 70, we want it all and we think we will want more, probably up to 150!!The costs of one AMBULANCE is 19,000+1250=20250x5=101,250The sooner you send the first 5 out the sooner they will put in the order for the balance 70 pieces whem they must have seen the immaculate condition of these Ambulances.

(…)Stop every right and wrong, and whining just send the 5 samples and see what happens. JUST DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY TO SEND TO YOU NOW. BUT I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN [Y] , 20 YEARS IS NOT 20 DAYS!!

Op 21 oktober 2014 schrijft [Y] aan [Z] .Wie besprochen kommen sie nach holland un sehen sie sich der unimog an, kein problem.

(…)

Bitte herr [Z] kommen sie so bald wie moglich, der zeit dringt es ist uberhaupt nicht im meinem interesse die geschaft platzen zu lassen.

Wie haben die termien zwei mal geanderd bei die handler.

Und jetzt ein dritten mall. das soll es dan auch sein. (…)

[Y] deelt op 23 oktober 2014 aan [Z] mee:

ich habe bei den firma anfrage gemacht fur verspatere zahlung wa probleem aber die zint einverstanden.wir haben drei wohen exstra fur den Zahlung und besichtigung.

also bis 3 november 10.00 uhr.

Op 10 november 2014 heeft [Z] aan [Y] medegedeeld:

Habe gestern mit Michael gesprochen und er ist ganz optimistisch, das Geschäft in den nächsten Tagen zu finalisieren.

Bij e-mail van 15 december 2014 schrijft [Y] aan [Z] :wir haben gesprochen mit de verkaufer, wo der anzahlung steht.

er hatt mir versprochen das der anzahlung einige zeit actuel bleibt,

und wir konnen den verrechnen bei ein andere transaction, bei diese firma.

diese angebot hatt kein termien, aber ist nicht unlimitiert.