Dr Karabus returned to the Abu Dhabi criminal court on Tuesday, for a hearing of an appeal against his acquittal on murder charges amid growing calls for his release. Richard Ferraris, a South African journalist and editor working at the Abu Dhabi-based National newspaper, who attended the hearing described the proceedings said on Twitter that Dr Karabus was informed of charges and once more pleaded his innocence.

The prosecution said it was appealing because the verdict in the retrial was based on a medical liability committee report, and not a forensic report. In a retrial, the Criminal Court ruled he was not responsible for the child’s death, after the Higher Committee for Medical Liability found he was not negligent in her treatment. Dr Karabus was also cleared of forgery.

The judge has indicated that a final verdict on the matter will be delivered on April 29.

It is not all doom and gloom, however. The general feeling among reporters in the Abu Dhabi courtroom is that next week’s hearing will finally deliver Dr Karabus free passage home.

In response, the South African government released a statement deploring the postponement. “Whilst respecting the independence of the judicial authorities in the UAE, the South African Government believes the failure by the UAE authorities to bring the case to a speedy and a just conclusion is in violation of Prof. Karabus’s right to a fair trial,” the statement said.

Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-Operation Marius Fransman said: “We are disappointed that the judicial authorities in the UAE have once again seen it fit to further prolong the stressful ordeal that Prof. Karabus has been going through since August 2012.” DM