The Antwerp court of appeal found the eighteen Reuzegommers guilty today – 4.5 years after the student baptism that killed Sanda Dia (20). The defendants did not receive any prison sentences, but got off with community service of up to 300 hours and fines of 400 euros. “This is what their lawyers had hoped for,” says court journalist Faroek Özgünes. “The court took into account the fact that these are young people who still have a whole career ahead of them.”
The eighteen Reuzegommers have been found guilty of the accidental death of Sanda Dia and degrading treatment. They do go free for administering the harmful substances and guilty omission. They also have to pay compensation to Sanda’s father and brother. Read the summary of the penalties here.
According to court journalist Faroek Özgünes, the verdict is in line with what the defendants’ lawyers had argued. “They mainly wanted to avoid the heavy sentence, the prison sentence,” he says. “The court took into account the fact that these are young people who still have a whole career ahead of them,” said Özgünes. For example, the Reuzegommers will not get a criminal record for the facts.
Remarkably enough, the defendants were not punished for administering the fish oil. “The court has ruled that fish oil is freely available in shops and that it is not stated anywhere on the label that it is harmful or toxic. Even the doctors themselves have no idea what the lethal dose is,” emphasizes Özgünes.
“This is what lawyers hoped for”
Allegations of racism have not been addressed today. “That was raised by one of the civil parties during the pleadings. But none of the eighteen Reuzegommers was tried here for violation of the law on racism, so that has not been discussed either ”, it sounds.
Özgünes underlines that the trial of the Sanda Dia case has now finally come to an end. “If someone is not satisfied, that person can still appeal in cassation, but I think that all Reuzegommers and their lawyers are very satisfied that they can get rid of it with community service. That’s what they hoped for.”
The question is whether Sanda Dia’s family can also live with the ruling. “You can get angry about the verdict and start shouting and ranting, but in a constitutional state you have to learn to live with it. Whether we go to cassation? The road has been very long for my clients. Should we do it to them to make it even longer? Even if there had been a mistake?”, Sven Mary, lawyer for father Ousmane Dia, responded to the ruling.
Read also:
OVERVIEW. What punishments did the Giant Gommers receive for the fatal baptism of Sanda Dia?
LIVE GIANT GUM PROCESS. Only community service up to 300 hours for Reuzegommers: father of Sanda Dia loses composure with verdict
LOOK. Penalties of up to 300 hours for Reuzegommers
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