Culpable homicide case against surgeon Peter Beale postponed to 2021

The criminal case against paediatric surgeon Prof Peter Beale, whose co-accused anaesthetist Dr Abdulhay Munshi was shot dead in September, was on Monday postponed by the Johannesburg magistrate's court. 

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana said the matter was postponed to January 20 next year for the indictment.

Beale is charged with culpable homicide after the death of a prominent businessman's 10-year-old son following a laparoscopic operation to stop reflux last year.  

Munshi was shot five times in Johannesburg on September 16.

The shooting caused outrage and prompted Beale to go into hiding.

The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa about the lack of action in the case by the NPA and the minister of justice.

“This has implications for the medical profession. We are just acting responsibly, just like when we notified the minister of justice and minister of police, we feel he needs to be aware of what is happening,” spokesperson Dr Kgosi Letlape said at the time.

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