Lawyer fails to muzzle reports on botched liposuction

Dubai: A lawyer on Wednesday failed to muzzle the press in a case involving the negligent death of a housewife during a botched liposuction.

Advocate Dr Mohammad Al Rokn, who is defending one of two doctors involved in the case, told Presiding Judge Hamad Abdul Latif Abdul Jawad at the Dubai Court of Misdemeanour yesterday: "Your honour ... I ask the court to issue an order preventing the media from covering this case in order to maintain the reputation of the two doctors and of the UAE's health sector."

Judge Abdul Jawad asked the court's secretary to list Al Rokn's plea in the hearing's official record but he did not take any action.

The Public Prosecution is charging the British plastic surgeon, A.B., with allowing an Indian cleaner, M.K., to participate in the liposuction surgery.

The doctors and an Egyptian anaesthetist and consultant, H.Z., are being charged with professional misconduct during the operation on 27-year-old housewife, L.H.

A.B. and H.Z. are also being charged with allowing unskilled personnel to practice medicine.

The doctors allegedly asked a 48-year-old Pakistani nurse, S.N., to wake the woman who was still anaesthetised, which caused her to stop breathing.

The hospital's Syrian director, R.A., denied his charge of failing to supervise A.B. and H.Z. A Filipina nurse, N.C., confessed that she is unlicensed to practice medicine.