Cape Town - “I’m finally happy to be here at last” – those were Professor Cyril Karabus’s first words on South African soil, in an SMS to his lawyer, Michael Bagraim, the minute the pilot let passengers use their cellphones this on Friday morning.
The Emirates Airlines aircraft landed at Cape Town International Airport at 11.50am on Friday after a direct flight from Dubai in the UAE which had been Karabus’s jail for nine months.
Scenes of jubilation preceded Karabus’s arrival at Cape Town International Airport on Friday morning.
Exactly 30 minutes before Flight EK772 landed, a troupe of gold-clad Cape minstrels, the Super Young Tycoons from Mitchells Plain, performed with brass instruments to the cheers of supporters.
“His absence has affected all of our lives and he’s won the support of the whole country. For months every birthday, every anniversary, every happy occasion was defined by our hope that he would be back,” said family friend Lucille Veldsman.She described Karabus as caring, compassionate and strong person, adding that his modesty and level headedness were on display again today – it was evidenced by the fact that he opted to use his original economy class return ticket rather than accepting various offers to be flown back in business class.
After landing Karabus was transported to a special protocol lounge to meet his family, every single member of whom was present according to family lawyer Bagraim.
Then he was scheduled to be debriefed by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Marius Fransman.
Karabus’s son, Michael Karabus, spoke to the Cape Argus from the protocol lounge moments before the flight from Dubai landed.
“We are all incredibly excited and on edge,” he said, responding “from the pit of my stomach” when asked where the nerves came from.
“The family is taking it one step at a time. My dad has been under tremendous strain and has been on a 10-hour flight. We haven’t made plans for the weekend, and will just take our cues from him.”
For Karabus, his arrival in Cape Town ends nine gruelling, energy-sapping months of terror, frustration and loneliness.
The United Arab Emirates prison authorities early this week finally returned Karabus’s passport after making him wait for about two weeks following his final acquittal on charges relating to the death of a child patient of his of leukaemia in 2002.
Karabus, 78, a paediatric oncologist, was arrested in the UAE in August last year while in transit home to Cape Town from a visit to Canada. He had been sentenced to 10 years in absentia in the UAE shortly after the child had died. He planned his flight through Dubai unaware that he was on the UAE’s wanted list.
As he passed through passport control at Dubai to catch his connecting flight to Cape Town, his name attracted attention at passport control. He was arrested and taken to jail.
Finally, early on Friday morning, he boarded the Emirates flight that would return him to his homeland and family after the nine-month ordeal.
He cleared passport control at 2am Dubai time and passed through the security scanners, said South African Chargé d’Affaires in the UAE, Fanus Venter.
Venter called Karabus on his cellphone a few minutes later and Karabus confirmed that he was through all the checks and ready to board.
“Ten minutes later I received a SMS from Professor Karabus saying he was Ok” Venter said in an SMS to Bagraim on Friday morning. Karabus then boarded the aircraft to begin the direct flight to Cape Town and into the arms of his waiting family.
Cape Argus