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| Medical experts clear South African cancer doctor over UAE death | Medical experts clear South African cancer doctor over UAE death |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A South African doctor detained in the United Arab Emirates on a decade-old manslaughter charge appears set to return home after medical experts cleared him of wrongdoing. | A South African doctor detained in the United Arab Emirates on a decade-old manslaughter charge appears set to return home after medical experts cleared him of wrongdoing. |
| Cyril Karabus, a leading paediatric oncologist who treated black children suffering from cancer during the apartheid era, had been convicted without his knowledge of killing a young leukaemia patient while working in Abu Dhabi in 2002. | Cyril Karabus, a leading paediatric oncologist who treated black children suffering from cancer during the apartheid era, had been convicted without his knowledge of killing a young leukaemia patient while working in Abu Dhabi in 2002. |
| He was arrested in Dubai last August while in transit to South Africa after attending his son's wedding in Canada. There were fears for the frail 77-year-old's health in jail in Abu Dhabi until he was granted bail at the fifth attempt. | He was arrested in Dubai last August while in transit to South Africa after attending his son's wedding in Canada. There were fears for the frail 77-year-old's health in jail in Abu Dhabi until he was granted bail at the fifth attempt. |
| But after 13 postponements of the case stretching over eight months, a medical review committee consisting of nine doctors met on Monday night to review the patient's file. | But after 13 postponements of the case stretching over eight months, a medical review committee consisting of nine doctors met on Monday night to review the patient's file. |
| Karabus's daughter Sarah, a paediatrician in Cape Town, told the Times of South Africa, "… their conclusion was that there was no negligence, that my father's treatment was correct and they recommended that he be absolved. | Karabus's daughter Sarah, a paediatrician in Cape Town, told the Times of South Africa, "… their conclusion was that there was no negligence, that my father's treatment was correct and they recommended that he be absolved. |
| "It is wonderful. We are absolutely ecstatic. Until he is on a plane it is not a done deal yet." | "It is wonderful. We are absolutely ecstatic. Until he is on a plane it is not a done deal yet." |
| A court is due consider the review committee's recommendation on Thursday. Sarah added: "The judge will look at the report. He doesn't necessarily have to agree with the medical committee. We hope that he will." | A court is due consider the review committee's recommendation on Thursday. Sarah added: "The judge will look at the report. He doesn't necessarily have to agree with the medical committee. We hope that he will." |
| Karabus's arrest followed an operation he performed on a three-year-old leukaemia patient while he was a locum at Sheikh Khalifa medical centre in Abu Dhabi. The child died and Karabus was tried in absentia and found guilty of manslaughter and falsifying medical documents. He was unaware of this until his arrest. | Karabus's arrest followed an operation he performed on a three-year-old leukaemia patient while he was a locum at Sheikh Khalifa medical centre in Abu Dhabi. The child died and Karabus was tried in absentia and found guilty of manslaughter and falsifying medical documents. He was unaware of this until his arrest. |
| Interviewed by the radio station 567 Cape Talk on Wednesday, a relieved Karabus said he had been warned in Toronto that there were problems with his visa relating to the criminal charges against him in the UAE. | Interviewed by the radio station 567 Cape Talk on Wednesday, a relieved Karabus said he had been warned in Toronto that there were problems with his visa relating to the criminal charges against him in the UAE. |
| "When we queried it they said everything was fine and I should just carry on and next the next thing I knew I was being arrested in Dubai," he recalled. | "When we queried it they said everything was fine and I should just carry on and next the next thing I knew I was being arrested in Dubai," he recalled. |
| Missing medical files delayed his trial for months, the Times reported, adding that Karabus's legal team believe the files would exonerate him. | Missing medical files delayed his trial for months, the Times reported, adding that Karabus's legal team believe the files would exonerate him. |
| The South African government, which has been pressing the UAE authorities to free Karabus, welcomed the "strategic breakthrough". Marius Fransman, the deputy international relations minister, said: "The South African government's concerns about the case centred around the rights of Professor Karabus to a speedy and fair trial, because the case was postponed on 13 occasions due to the inability of the prosecution to present documentary evidence. | The South African government, which has been pressing the UAE authorities to free Karabus, welcomed the "strategic breakthrough". Marius Fransman, the deputy international relations minister, said: "The South African government's concerns about the case centred around the rights of Professor Karabus to a speedy and fair trial, because the case was postponed on 13 occasions due to the inability of the prosecution to present documentary evidence. |
| "There were also concerns over the health and age of Professor Karabus and we therefore called for a humanitarian approach in the finalisation of the matter." | "There were also concerns over the health and age of Professor Karabus and we therefore called for a humanitarian approach in the finalisation of the matter." |
| He added: "We call upon all South Africans to pray for the finalisation of the case and the safe and speedy return of Professor Karabus to South Africa." | He added: "We call upon all South Africans to pray for the finalisation of the case and the safe and speedy return of Professor Karabus to South Africa." |
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