Kidney 'scam': Profs in court
2005-08-16 22:24
Durban - Several prominent members of the medical profession in KwaZulu-Natal appeared in Durban Magistrate's Court on Tuesday in connection with an international kidney-transplant scam.
They are believed to be part of an international kidney syndicate in which poor Brazilians were lured to South Africa and paid for their kidneys, which were then sold to mainly Israeli patients.
Three of the doctors who appeared in court on Tuesday were from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
They are head of surgery at Nelson Mandela medical school Professor John Robbs, his deputy, Professor Ahmad Haffejee, and a professor of anatomy, Kapil Satyapal.
They appeared with doctors Neil Christopher and Logaindra Naidoo.
All of them faced charges of contravening the Human Tissue Act, assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and fraud.
Bail conditions extended
Four of them were granted bail of R50 000 each and the fifth was given bail of R10 000.
In court with them were Dr Jeff Kallmeyer, a second-year medical student at the university, Lindsay Dickson, Hebrew/English interpreter Samuel Ziegler and Melanie Azor.
They had all appeared previously in court in connection with the same case.
Their bail conditions were extended and they were due back in court on September 16.
On Tuesday, University of KwaZulu-Natal vice-chancellor William Makgoba said: "Trading in human organs is one of the most-serious allegations that can be made in the medical profession."
Makgoba said that on Monday evening Satyapal had called him from his cellphone to say that he would hand himself to police in connection with the issue.
"The University of KwaZulu-Natal treats these allegations in a serious light.
"As this unfortunate saga plays itself out in the public, it is important that, without prejudice, we allow the justice system of our country to follow its due course on this matter."
At least 100 of the kidney transplants took place at Netcare hospitals in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Netcare chairman Motty Sacks said: "An Israeli agency contacted the transplant division and arranged for the operations to take place at Netcare."
'Netcare also a complainant'
This was because Netcare was the largest group in South Africa that did transplants in the private sector, he said.
He said Netcare did not employ any doctors and those who performed the kidney transplants only used the group's facilities.
"If you look at the charge sheet you will se that Netcare is also a complainant," said Sacks.
He said the Israeli agent had organised the donors and receivers and had also provided the hospital with affidavits indicating that everything was above board, that no money would exchange hands and that the donors and receivers were related to each other.
- SAPA