Couple suing casino for R1,2m

March 11 2004 at 05:13AM

By Fatima Schroeder

A Dolphin Beach man and his partner are suing GrandWest Casino and Federal Gaming - responsible for security services at the complex - for R1,2-million in damages after he was allegedly assaulted and held at gunpoint by security officials in March 2002.

Arie Levy was a regular patron at the casino and had Gold Card status, which entitled him to park his car in the area reserved for VIP clients.

But the casino and Federal Gaming claimed that Levy had parked in an area reserved for hotel guests only and that he verbally abused staff when he was asked to move his car.

In papers before the Cape High Court, Levy alleges that, during the early hours of March 26 2002, a security official at the casino approached him in a "hostile and aggressive manner" and chased after his vehicle in a bakkie as he left the premises and drove in the direction of Maitland.

'The group had bundled him into the back of his vehicle'
He alleges that the officials pulled in front of his vehicle "in a reckless manoeuvre" and forced it to stop before forcing him out of his car at gunpoint.

The group had bundled him into the back of his vehicle and driven it "in a reckless and malicious fashion", damaging the gearbox, before taking him back to GrandWest as a detainee.

This, Levy alleges, constituted a wrongful and intentional attack on his bodily integrity as well as dignity and reputation.

He is claiming R1,2-million in damages for assault, defamation, injuria, wrongful arrest and detention.

His partner Michelle Pullen is claiming the return of the rand equivalent of £8 000 (about R96 000) she claims was stolen from the car. The case is expected to be heard in the Cape High Court on March 17.

Source: Cape Times