Court dismisses infidelity case
2013-01-26 14:11
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Johannesburg
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Johannesburg - The High Court in Johannesburg dismissed a
claim by a man who tried to sue FirstRand Bank after his wife allegedly fell in
love with her colleague while working there, Beeld newspaper reported on
Saturday.
"Mr [Ramnath] Dessie's claim is, to say the least,
bizarre. He argues that FirstRand is on one way or the other responsible for
his pain and suffering as a result of his wife's affair," Judge Nigel
Willis said.
"I know Johannesburg litigants can be imaginative, but
this claim deserves a special prize. There is no such claim recognised in our
common law."
Dessie Ramnath, brought an application to court and alleged
that the bank was responsible for the pain and suffering that resulted from the
affair because his wife met the man while working at the bank.
Willis dismissed the claim and ordered Dessie to pay the
bank's legal costs.
"I am not completely sure that in this country we would
allow people to claim damages because people fall in love at work," Willis
said.
"This happens all the time. It has happened, and will
no doubt continue to happen until the cows come home."
He said it was nothing new to hear "weird" cases
in the High Court in Johannesburg.
"There should be a motto, ex curia Johannesburgensis
semper aliquid novi: out of the Johannesburg High Court there is always
something new," Willis said.
- SAPA
