Durban - Legal representatives for the State and defence locked horns in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday in the case of former city attorney Sundeep Singh, who was granted a “six-hour pass” from Midlands Hospital, where he is being treated, allegedly for a serious heart problem.
Singh was admitted to the ICU on the day of his arrest, September 23, in connection with the theft of more than R800 000.
He was struck off the roll of attorneys in April following an allegation by a client, local widow Radha Govender, that he stole R876 736 - money she was due to receive from the Road Accident Fund.
Following his disbarment, Singh has been working as a freelance consultant on land claims/restitution cases with the permission of the law society.
A shadow of his former self, Singh cut a sad figure in the dock on Thursday, where he made an application, via his attorney, Martin Krog, to remain at the Midlands Hospital until his bail application next week.
Krog argued that Singh had a history of ischaemic heart disease, for which there was no cure.
“His condition is inoperable and the only cure would be a heart transplant. My client requires specialised treatment, which he is receiving at Midlands Hospital from a specialist physician,” Krog said.
Prosecutor RS Mkhize opposed the application.
“The sudden deterioration in Singh’s condition was as a result of his arrest. We have a prison hospital which caters for people with medical conditions. The accused in these circumstances cannot be treated differently… it creates the wrong perception within society that he is receiving preferential treatment,” Mkhize said.
Krog replied that Singh would not receive the quality of care he required at the prison hospital.
“This application is not because of who Singh is. This is because he has a specific medical condition that requires specialised care,” he said. “It would be inhumane to send him to prison like this.”
Magistrate Helgaard Fobian called for the testimony of the doctor treating Singh.
Dr Yusuf Mohamed testified that Singh had a condition that caused his heart muscles to contract around his coronary arteries, which restricted the blood flow to his heart.
“This is a very rare, very high-risk condition which can lead to a heart attack at any time if the patient becomes stressed or anxious.”
The doctor said Singh should be left to recover in hospital, where he could be properly monitored and where a cardiac rehabilitation facility was on standby should he require emergency treatment.
“A prison hospital would be ill-equipped to deal with a patient in Singh’s condition.”
The court granted an order transferring Singh back to the Pietermaritzburg police cells, from where he will be taken to Midlands Hospital under police guard pending his bail application on October 9.
Singh was admitted as an attorney in 1990. He was struck off for “unprofessional, dishonourable and unworthy conduct” in 1993, after being found guilty of theft of R249 000 from a deceased estate.
He was re-enrolled nine years later and became a conveyancer in 2004.
In December 1993, Singh fled to India with his family, but returned to South Africa three months later, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with two years suspended.
Daily News