Stabbing at Napoleon Casino Sint-Truiden: One-year prison sentence demanded
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26 Sep 2024 •
Reading time: 3 minutes A violent incident took place at the Napoleon Casino in Sint-Truiden on November 1, 2023. What started as a fight between two groups ended in a stabbing in which a man was seriously injured. Now, one year in prison and a fine of €800 are being demanded for one of the suspects.
What happened that evening?
It was an ordinary Wednesday evening, but around half past eleven the atmosphere changed at the Napoleon Casino on Luikersteenweg. Two groups of Romanian men got into a fight, and the fight got so out of hand that a 33-year-old man was stabbed with a knife. The knife went between his ribs, and he became seriously injured. His friends quickly took him to the Sint-Trudo hospital, where fortunately it turned out that he was out of danger.
First time police had to intervene
Casino owner Pascal Budo said he had never had to call the police in the nine years he has been running his business.
“This is really the first time something like this has happened. It was pure coincidence that these two groups met in our casino. They were not regulars, and this could have happened anywhere else, like a café or a night shop. Fortunately, our gaming equipment was not damaged and the only damage was a few broken bottles.”
Pascal Budo
The casino is well-secured with 27 cameras, the recordings of which are stored for a month. Budo stressed that security is a priority in his business.
Suspects turn themselves in to police
A few days after the incident, two Romanian men turned themselves in to police. They admitted to being involved in the stabbing, but said they acted in self-defense. According to Bert Vanmechelen, the lawyer for one of the men, they were attacked and had to defend themselves.
“After their interrogation, they were allowed to go home, pending further investigation. My client is now waiting to see what happens next.”
Bert Vanmechelen
The trial and the Public Prosecution Service’s demand
The trial started in September 2024. The Public Prosecution Service is demanding a one-year prison sentence and a fine of €800 for the suspect. The defense lawyers disagree. They claim that the camera images clearly show that their client retreated and that he acted in self-defense. Although he used a knife, he would have had no other choice, because he felt threatened and saw no other way out. The court will rule on October 25.
More problems at Napoleon Casino Games
This is not the only incident that has happened around Napoleon Casino Games recently. Earlier in September 2023, the casino’s headquarters was shocked by a bomb threat, causing quite a stir within the company. In the end, it was a fake bomb threat, made by a gambler who had lost a lot of money.
This fake alert was followed, a little later, by a shooting at the Napoleon Casino Games in Genk, fortunately without injuries. The suspect was then arrested in Alicante, Spain.