Judgment against pediatric surgeon Peter Beale will be referred to HPCSA for further consideration
Beale, who was arrested in 2019 and charged with the deaths of three minor patients, and two counts of fraud was found not guilty in the Joburg High Court on Tuesday afternoon.
Surgeon Peter Beale found not guilty of murder. Picture: Katlego Jiyane/EWN.
JOHANNESBURG - Judgment against pediatric surgeon Peter Beale will be referred to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) for further consideration.
Beale, who was arrested in 2019 and charged with the deaths of three minor patients, and two counts of fraud was found not guilty in the Joburg High Court on Tuesday afternoon.
He was stripped of his HPCSA permit in 2022 but can still be reinstated with a permit if he chooses to continue to practice.
Pediatric surgeon Professor Peter Beale barely flinched when Judge Thifhelimbilu (ti-fe-lim-bilu) Mudau handed down judgment in the Joburg High Court, finding him not guilty on three counts of murder and two counts of fraud.
Beale was accused of the murder of three of his minor patients that he operated on in 2012, 2016 and 2019 respectively.
The children all died shortly after surgery.
Despite the Health Professions Council of South Africa stripping Beale of his operating license in 2022, Judge Mudau says they will need to study his judgement in specific regard to one of his victims where Beale admitted to leaving the boy’s care, despite knowing he was fighting for his life.
"This judgment should be referred to the HPCSA for consideration, in the event that the accused considers pursuing his practice."
Mudau previously ruled that the names of Beale’s victims should not be publicised in order to protect the families.