A bid by the receivers of Champion Tech Limited to overturn an Employment Tribunal decision has been dismissed by the High Court.
Acting Deemster Chris Arrowsmith ruled that the tribunal does have jurisdiction to investigate allegations of misrepresentation surrounding a settlement agreement, even after a case has been concluded.
The dispute stems from a claim brought by former employee Seng Hooi Yap against Champion Tech, which was within the same group as King Gaming Limited.
During 2024, Manx Police executed warrants at King Gaming’s registered office and that companies within the group, including the Appellant, subsequently ceased trading.
Following the company entering receivership, the parties reached a settlement in April 2025, facilitated by the Manx Industrial Relations Service, in which Mr Yap received £25,000.
However, Mr Yap later applied to the Tribunal to reopen his original complaint, alleging the agreement should be void due to material breach and misrepresentation.
He claimed payment was late and that he had been misled about the company’s finances when accepting the sum.
The tribunal ruled in June 2025 that it retained jurisdiction to investigate and the company’s receivers appealed, arguing the tribunal had lost its power to deal with the matter and lacked authority to consider breach of contract or misrepresentation claims.
Dismissing the appeal, Acting Deemster Arrowsmith said the tribunal was not determining a stand-alone contractual dispute but establishing whether its jurisdiction had been validly ousted.
The case can now return to the Tribunal for a full hearing into Mr Yap’s allegations.