Acid, a well-known YouTuber, has agreed on compensation with the parents of a former Reuzegom member, confirms the civil party’s lawyer.
Nathan Vandergunst (25), known as Acid, received a suspended three-month prison sentence and an €800 fine from the Bruges criminal court for harassment.
On 31 May 2023, Acid published a video about the fatal hazing of Sanda Dia, naming several Reuzegom members and sharing their personal information. YouTube eventually took the video down.
The video included a former member who was not involved in the hazing. His parents’ restaurant in Antwerp faced false reservations and numerous negative reviews.
After the West Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office decided not to investigate, the former member and his parents initiated a direct summons.
The defence argued for inadmissibility due to the lack of investigation and claimed only the Assize Court could judge a press offence. They also sought acquittal based on freedom of speech.
On 22 February, the judge sentenced Acid to a suspended three-month prison term and an €800 fine for harassment. He was also ordered to pay €20,000 in provisional damages to the civil party. An auditor was appointed to assess the precise damage to the restaurant.
Acid decided not to appeal the verdict. In June, an out-of-court settlement was reached regarding the compensation. Lawyer Wim De Colvenaer has not disclosed the exact amount. The judge will no longer need to rule on the matter.
The case concerns 20-year-old student Sanda Dia who died of hypothermia and organ failure in 2018 after being forced to drink copious amounts of alcohol and fish oil during his initiation at KU Leuven's Reuzegom student club.
