Shock as Karabus case postponed once again

THE case against Cape Town paediatric oncologist Professor Cyril Karabus has again been postponed in a United Arab Emirates court today, to the shock and dismay of his lawyers and family.

This follows after the government officially called on UAE prosecutors to withdraw their appeal against Professor Cyril Karabus’s acquittal on manslaughter charges.

Karabus was charged after a child he had treated for leukaemia had died in the UAE.

Karabus’s Cape Town lawyer, Michael Bagraim, confirmed today that the case had been postponed to April 29 to allow the court to “establish the veracity” of a statement by Karabus’s lawyers.

Treatment

The statement was that Karabus had no part in a decision to stop treatment of the child before her death.

“We are shocked, because this should actually be a knowledge of court, not something that needs to be verified,” Bagraim said.

“It is a known fact that Dr Karabus was not on duty at the time when the medication to the child was stopped by a neurosurgeon who was on duty.

“One thing that keeps us positive is the fact that this time the postponement is much shorter at six days,” Bagraim said.

“It was also the only problem that reared its head this time.”

Yesterday, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Marius Fransman, said: “As government, we have repeatedly expressed our grave concern with the anxiety and trauma that Karabus and his family have been subjected to as a result of the continued postponements that have characterised this case.”

Fransman visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai last month to intervene in the case.

“It is now really time for the professor to be reunited with his family. We call on them to withdraw the appeal.

“As a democratic state, we do respect the sovereignty and the independence of the judicial system of the UAE.”