National
George Louca dying of cancer: report─── 10:57 Sun, 29 Mar 2015
Johannesburg - Cypriot national George Louca was transferred to another prison hospital section after an urgent plea by the Cypriot high commission that "he was dying" the Sunday Times reported.
His lawyer Owen Blumberg said Louca had been diagnosed with lung cancer and only got to know of his illness in writing for the first time this week.
"He's very ill; he has stage four cancer. He has a terminal condition and we don't know how long he's going to live. It's going to be entirely dependent on the quality of care he receives," Blumberg was quoted as saying.
"He's getting better care today [Saturday] than he was getting yesterday."
Blumberg said that Louca was transferred to a prison's hospital section in Gauteng after being incarcerated at another prison since Wednesday.
Louca was discharged from Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria on Wednesday.
"It should never have happened. It's a matter of enormous concern for us that he was discharged in the circumstances that he ought never to have been discharged," Blumberg said.
According to the report, in a diplomatic communication, known as a note verbale, the high commission informed the South African government that Louca should not be in a prison cell because of his deteriorating health condition.
The justice and correctional services department transferred Louca on Friday night, according to the report.
Louca is expected back in court in April.
The Cypriot national is also accused of killing Teazers strip club boss Lolly Jackson in 2010.
Louca was extradited to South Africa in February 2014 after losing a final appeal to avoid extradition.
Sapa
