Surgeon unlawfully killed on holiday, says coroner

An NHS surgeon who was shot dead in South Africa in front of his family while on a once-in-a-lifetime trip was unlawfully killed, a coroner has concluded.

Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was driving with his mother, wife and one-year-old son in August 2023, when he was shot dead while crowds were protesting on the road in Cape Town.

The surgeon worked at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow and lived in nearby Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire.

Speaking at an inquest at Essex Coroner's Court, senior coroner Lincoln Brookes described his death as a "senseless killing".

"The shooter knew what they were doing and the consequences of what he was doing," said Mr Brookes.

His family has already claimed that police directed them into the path of the demonstrations - staged by minibus taxi workers - in the township of Nyanga.

They have also described how police officers refused to take Mr Teoh to hospital and were chatting, as he was dying.

Previously, police in South Africa said it was "improper" to discuss the family's concerns with the media.

Mr Teoh's wife Sara Chan told the inquest how the family had only two days left of their once-in-a-lifetime trip when the shooting happened on 3 August.

They had spent the day whale watching and were on their way to their accommodation.

She said their sat-nav directed them off the motorway into Nyanga and were directed again by local police.

Miss Chan described seeing a bus burnt to a crisp, wheels on the road and hordes of people in the street.

A shooter came up to Mr Teoh's side of the car. A post-mortem examination in Cape Town concluded he died of a single gunshot to the head.

Miss Chan said her mother-in-law took control of the car and locals helped stop the vehicle.

After police refused to take him to hospital, an ambulance arrived an hour later - Miss Chan said.

Miss Chan said South African police had not taken the case "seriously", and in January, she said she was told a couple of suspects were identified but that there was not enough information to charge them.

She told the court she did not have "trust" or confidence in police.

Her husband, Miss Chan said, was an "amazing man in every way" and "really caring, intelligent, witty and generous".

In a statement released after his funeral, staff at his hospital said their "trailblazer" colleague's "career and life was nothing short of inspiring".

This week, a spokesperson from the South African Police Service told the BBC: "Information was received from an informant, suspect was traced and brought in for questioning and thorough investigation was conducted to verify his alibi and all his whereabouts on the day were accounted for, therefore he was eliminated as a suspect."

They said a cash reward was offered of 100,000 South African rand (about £4,460), but "no-one came forward with information", and that the murder investigation was ongoing.

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