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South African cardiologist Wouter Basson has petitioned the Pretoria High Court to curb a decade-old probe of his work on biological and chemical weapons programs under his nation's former apartheid government, the South African Press Association reported yesterday (see GSN, April 21, 2009).
The Health Professions Council of South Africa launched a probe in 2000 into possible unethical behavior by Basson as part of the South African military's Project Coast program. Basson, nicknamed "Dr. Death," was absolved in criminal court in 2002 (South African Press Association I/Independent Online, May 6).
Basson did not appear in court yesterday.
His request "is so devoid of merit that not only should it be dismissed, but ... the applicant should pay the cost," HPCSA counsel Gilbert Marcus said yesterday.
The cardiologist's court petition was an "opportunistic attempt to buy time. Nothing more, nothing less," Marcus said.
The council has sought to strip Basson of his right to practice medicine. Organization officers have not yet issued a ruling in the probe, Marcus noted, suggesting Basson had jumped the gun in making the court filing.
Basson's lawyer, though, said the council had "improper motives" in conducting the probe.
"A justifiable threat was created that the council was just going through its paces and that he (Basson) will be found guilty irrespective of what evidence will be given," Jaap Cilliers asserted.
Project Coast only sought defenses against chemical and biological weapons agents, Basson's lawyer contended; Marcus said the program investigated the weaponization of various chemicals and gases.
Judge Everhardt Bertelsmann is expected Monday to issue his ruling on the dismissal request (South African Press Association II/Independent Online, May 6).