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| South African doctor flies home after nine-month limbo over UAE death | South African doctor flies home after nine-month limbo over UAE death |
| (8 days later) | |
| A South African doctor detained in the United Arab Emirates on a decade-old manslaughter charge has returned home after nine months in limbo, declaring: "It's wonderful to be out of that bloody place." | A South African doctor detained in the United Arab Emirates on a decade-old manslaughter charge has returned home after nine months in limbo, declaring: "It's wonderful to be out of that bloody place." |
| Cyril Karabus, 78, had been convicted without his knowledge of killing a young leukaemia patient in Abu Dhabi in 2002. He was arrested in Dubai last August while in transit to South Africa from Canada. | Cyril Karabus, 78, had been convicted without his knowledge of killing a young leukaemia patient in Abu Dhabi in 2002. He was arrested in Dubai last August while in transit to South Africa from Canada. |
| Karabus was acquitted in March but endured countless setbacks and bureaucratic wrangling before finally boarding a flight to Cape Town, where he was greeted with wild cheers and tearful hugs from family members and supporters. | Karabus was acquitted in March but endured countless setbacks and bureaucratic wrangling before finally boarding a flight to Cape Town, where he was greeted with wild cheers and tearful hugs from family members and supporters. |
| "It's fantastic," said Karabus, meeting his three-month-old grandson, Gabriel, for the first time. "I didn't realise what the welcome would be. It's unbelievable the number of people who are at the airport." | "It's fantastic," said Karabus, meeting his three-month-old grandson, Gabriel, for the first time. "I didn't realise what the welcome would be. It's unbelievable the number of people who are at the airport." |
| A leading paediatric oncologist, he helped save the lives of black cancer victims during the apartheid era and pioneered treatment for cancer and blood disorders at the Red Cross hospital in Cape Town, where he worked for 35 years. | A leading paediatric oncologist, he helped save the lives of black cancer victims during the apartheid era and pioneered treatment for cancer and blood disorders at the Red Cross hospital in Cape Town, where he worked for 35 years. |
| Karabus had gone to Abu Dhabi for a six-week stint during which he treated a three-year-old Yemeni girl. She had a form of leukaemia with an 80% death rate at the time, he recalled. "It happens. I've had a lot of kids dying of cancer. It wasn't me that killed her, it was the disease." | Karabus had gone to Abu Dhabi for a six-week stint during which he treated a three-year-old Yemeni girl. She had a form of leukaemia with an 80% death rate at the time, he recalled. "It happens. I've had a lot of kids dying of cancer. It wasn't me that killed her, it was the disease." |
| He left the UAE because his contract had finished and resents that the charge sheet later described him as a "fugitive" who jumped the country. "The case record had 16 lies in it. It's absolute garbage. You cannot believe the rubbish written there. It's not exactly the best legal system." | He left the UAE because his contract had finished and resents that the charge sheet later described him as a "fugitive" who jumped the country. "The case record had 16 lies in it. It's absolute garbage. You cannot believe the rubbish written there. It's not exactly the best legal system." |
| That would have been the end of the matter but for a fateful decision to travel through Dubai when returning to South Africa after attending his son's wedding in Canada. Ruefully explaining his choice of airline and route, Karabus said: "The Emirates fares are usually better than most." | That would have been the end of the matter but for a fateful decision to travel through Dubai when returning to South Africa after attending his son's wedding in Canada. Ruefully explaining his choice of airline and route, Karabus said: "The Emirates fares are usually better than most." |
| With time to kill before their connecting flight, Karabus and his family went through immigration to look for an airport hotel. It was then he suddenly found himself under arrest. "You're totally shocked and you're not sure what the hell they're talking about." | With time to kill before their connecting flight, Karabus and his family went through immigration to look for an airport hotel. It was then he suddenly found himself under arrest. "You're totally shocked and you're not sure what the hell they're talking about." |
| There were immediate fears over how the septuagenarian would cope with prison. But he said: "The conditions were not too bad. There were some interesting characters I was jailed with. In the first jail there were a lot of Filipinos in for cheque fraud and that sort of thing. Someone was in for murder. | There were immediate fears over how the septuagenarian would cope with prison. But he said: "The conditions were not too bad. There were some interesting characters I was jailed with. In the first jail there were a lot of Filipinos in for cheque fraud and that sort of thing. Someone was in for murder. |
| "They were all very friendly. We were one happy family. Some needed medical advice which I could give them. But it was also boring. There was a television but it was mostly in Arabic. There was some soccer but it was Emirati clubs on high volume." | "They were all very friendly. We were one happy family. Some needed medical advice which I could give them. But it was also boring. There was a television but it was mostly in Arabic. There was some soccer but it was Emirati clubs on high volume." |
| Karabus was granted bail at the fifth attempt but, denied his passport, was forced to remain within the country. Fortunately a fellow South African doctor offered him lodgings. "I don't think he expected me to be staying for next seven months." | Karabus was granted bail at the fifth attempt but, denied his passport, was forced to remain within the country. Fortunately a fellow South African doctor offered him lodgings. "I don't think he expected me to be staying for next seven months." |
| The charms of the UAE city soon began to wane, however. "Abu Dhabi is a bit of a boring town," Karabus sighed. "There's one tourist attraction which is a mosque which I'd seen before. You can go for walks but there isn't much else to do." | The charms of the UAE city soon began to wane, however. "Abu Dhabi is a bit of a boring town," Karabus sighed. "There's one tourist attraction which is a mosque which I'd seen before. You can go for walks but there isn't much else to do." |
| He blamed the endless delays on "bloody incompetence", adding that it had taken 10 hours to obtain an exit visa over Wednesday and Thursday. He estimates his legal fees fighting the case at around $100,000 (£65,755) but is grateful to supporters who have made contributions. | He blamed the endless delays on "bloody incompetence", adding that it had taken 10 hours to obtain an exit visa over Wednesday and Thursday. He estimates his legal fees fighting the case at around $100,000 (£65,755) but is grateful to supporters who have made contributions. |
| Summing up the ordeal, he said: "You have ups and downs. When it's an up, you have a drink to celebrate. When it's a down, you also have a drink to commiserate. | Summing up the ordeal, he said: "You have ups and downs. When it's an up, you have a drink to celebrate. When it's a down, you also have a drink to commiserate. |
| "On Friday it felt good to be home. I missed South Africa. It's such a beautiful country. Coming in on the plane and seeing Table Mountain was wonderful." | "On Friday it felt good to be home. I missed South Africa. It's such a beautiful country. Coming in on the plane and seeing Table Mountain was wonderful." |
| The father of five intends to resume working as a locum. But he will not be going back to UAE in a hurry. "Never again. It's a family dictatorship. Nobody is critical of government in public or the local newspapers. It's not the greatest place to be in trouble." | The father of five intends to resume working as a locum. But he will not be going back to UAE in a hurry. "Never again. It's a family dictatorship. Nobody is critical of government in public or the local newspapers. It's not the greatest place to be in trouble." |
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