Cape Town’s Professor Cyril Karabus is eager to return home after being acquitted of manslaughter charges in an Abu Dhabi court.
|||Cape Town - Cape Town’s Professor Cyril Karabus is eager to return home to his family and friends after being acquitted of manslaughter charges in an Abu Dhabi court.
He hoped to be back in time to celebrate his 78th birthday on April 1, he said on Sunday.
Karabus, a paediatric oncologist, was acquitted of manslaughter in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, after a seven-month ordeal.
“I am extremely pleased and relieved that my case has finally come to an end, and that the UAE judicial process has found me not guilty. The medical committee found that I’ve acted correctly in the treatment of my patient and absolved me of any wrongdoing,” he said.
Karabus, of Kenilworth, was arrested in Dubai after travelling back from his son Matthew’s wedding in Canada on August 18 last year. The charges and his subsequent arrest came after he spent five weeks working as a locum at the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi about a decade ago.
He was convicted of manslaughter in absentia after the death of a three-year-old Yemeni girl suffering from leukaemia in 2002.
Karabus was accused of failing to give her a vital blood transfusion.
“I would therefore like to thank my family, my legal teams in both South Africa and the UAE, international governments, business, civil society, and all individuals who rendered continuous support by engaging with UAE stakeholders,” he said.
Karabus is now awaiting the prosecution which has a fortnight to lodge an appeal. Until then he cannot get his passport back.
His lawyer, Michael Bagraim, last week asked Deputy Minister of International Relations Marius Fransman to put pressure on the UAE to release Karabus’s passport.
“I would like to thank the South African government, the embassy in Abu Dhabi and the minister of international relations and co-operation for their continuous efforts to ensure a positive outcome. In particular I would like to thank Marius Fransman,” said Karabus.
“I look forward to spending quality time with my family and friends. I hope that all the required processes will be finalised as soon as possible,” he said.
nontando.mposo@inl.co.za
Cape Argus