RAPIST/CHILD-ABUSING SHRINK STILL FREE IN ONTARIO
Don Weitz
Umar-Khitab the rapist-sexual predator-child abuser belongs in prison. This
criminal shrink should have been permanently stripped of his medical
license over 20 years ago in the 1970s in Scotland where he was first
charged (but "acquitted") with 23 counts of sexually assaulting women
prisoners. He comes to Saskatcewan and Ontario in the 1980s and continues
assaulting or raping many young girls, his patients, in Cambridge. The
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and Cambridge Memorial
Hospital are also guilty, because they covered up Khitab's crimes and
protected him after learing about his crimes in 1989. So far, they have
neither fired Khitab nor stripped him of his medical license. This
criminal-doctor is now "suspended" (not fired) from the hospital and out on
bail - more evidence of medical "justice".
- Don
Cambridge psychiatrist charged with sex offences here faced similar charges
in U.K. by Jason Misner and Eric Volmers
Cambridge Reporter July 31, 1999
CAMBRIDGE - Dr. Allan Umar-Khitab was acquitted of 23 charges of indecently
assaulting 23 inmates at two separate detention centres in Scotland during
the late 1970s and early '80s, The Reporter has learned. A reporter from
The Daily Record in Glasgow confirmed yesterday that Dr. Khitab was cleared
of the 23 charges due to a "lack of evidence" during court proceedings in
1981. On Monday the 61-year-old psychiatrist, who lives in Paris, Ont., and
works at Cambridge Memorial Hospital, was charged with four counts of sexual
assault, five counts of sexual exploitation, and one count each of sexual
interference and invitation to sexual touching. These charges relate to
alleged incidents at the Cambridge hospital. Contacted by The Reporter
last night at his home, Dr. Khitab declined comment. "I think it would be
best to talk to my (lawyers)," he said. "I'm sure you can appreciate my
position."
The Scotland charges stem from when he was working as a consulting
psychiatrist at the Glen Ochil Young Offenders Institute near Alloa, 50
kilometres north of Edinburgh. Twenty-two alleged offences occurred there,
while one other alleged offence happened at the Longriggend remand unit in
Lanarkshire. The incidents allegedly occurred between October 1978 and
February 1980. Dr. Khitab was cleared of all charges on the ninth day of
the trial, which began in mid-May 1981. Meanwhile, the College of
Physicians and Surgeons in Ontario (CSPO) said Wednesday Dr. Khitab's
licence allows him to practice at Cambridge Memorial Hospital only. The
hospital has suspended his privileges to practice there, pending the
outcome of the charges. The five alleged victims, who can't be named
because of a publication ban, ranged in age from 12 to 16 at the time of
the incidents. Those alleged incidents occurred from 1989 to 1994 at the
Cambridge hospital.
The Reporter has also learned that after his time in Scotland, Dr. Khitab
headed west to Saskatchewan in the early '80s where he worked as a
psychiatrist on contract with the Moose Jaw Psychiatric Centre.
He worked there from Aug. 6, 1981, to June 8, 1984. Dr. L. Loewen, deputy
registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, said
Dr. Khitab's "special licence (to work in Moose Jaw) was terminated because
the province terminated his employment."
The Ministry of Health in that province said it wasn't allowed to provide
information as to why Dr. Khitab's contract was terminated. "(We have) no
derogatory information of any kind (on Dr. Khitab). His file is very thin
with us," Dr. Loewen said. Dr. Loewen also pointed out that to come from
Scotland to Canada, Dr. Khitab would have needed a certificate of good
standing from the General Medical Council, the licensing body in Great
Britain. Dr. Loewen couldn't confirm which of the two hospitals in Moose
Jaw the centre was associated with at the time. In addition to his time in
Moose Jaw, Dr. Khitab apparently worked two years under contract some time
in the early '80s as a psychiatrist in Yorkton, Sask., 180 kilometres east
of Regina. According to Boris Titus, executive director of the province's
laboratory of the Saskatchewan Department of Health, he helped arrange Dr.
Khitab's contract to practise medicine in the small rural community of
15,000. Mr. Titus remembered Dr. Khitab mentioned "some issues in Scotland
but that nothing came out of it ... I recall that question being asked."
At the time of the doctor's hiring, Mr. Titus worked as a systems director
with the Mental Health Services Branch of the Saskatchewan Department of
Health. He noted that Dr. Khitab resigned from his position but he didn't
know why. "I never got any specific
complaints about (Dr. Khitab)," he said. "He was a well-spoken man and he
had all the skills and training for the job."
After leaving the west, Dr. Khitab headed east to New Brunswick, where he
practiced psychiatry from 1984 to 1989 in Saint John. Dr. Ed Schollenberg,
registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick, noted
that he knew about the case in Scotland involving Dr. Khitab at the time of
his hiring.
~~~~~
July 30, 1999 CMH offers help to Khitab's ex patients
by Eric Volmers
Cambridge Reporter
CAMBRIDGE - The former patients of a Cambridge psychiatrist charged with
sexual assault will receive counselling and treatment by a special team of
consultants at Cambridge Memorial Hospital.
In a statement issued by the hospital Thursday, chief executive officer
Helen Wright announced special counselling and support would be made
available to patients and their family members traumatized by the charges
against Dr. Allan Umar-Khitab. "The hospital has to ensure the community
is well served," said Tricia Hellingman, acting program manager of public
relations for CMH. "Suddenly there's a void in service and a number of
people are very disturbed about
what is going on. For everyone involved, the hospital wants to ensure those
patients and family members have an opportunity to discuss feelings about
that."
On Monday, Dr. Khitab, 61, was charged with four counts of sexual assault,
five counts of sexual exploitation and one count each of sexual
interference and invitation to sexual touching. His five alleged victims
ranged in age from 12 to 16. The incidents are said to have occurred
between 1989 and 1994. Dr. Khitab worked at CMH since the late 1980s,
although was not technically a staff member.
He worked full time in the hospital's Outpatient Community Mental Health
Program. Ms. Hellingman said there is no way to determine how many
patients the psychiatrist saw in the that time, but said the program deals
with 3,200 people annually. "He was on staff full time, four days a week,"
she said. "I can tell you that."
Ms. Hellingman said she did not know the specifics of who or how many
people would be on the the team providing the counselling, but said it
would be made up of professionals from the hospital and from
outside the hospital. She said hospital officials have no way of knowing
how many former patients and their family members will take advantage of
the service. "There may be a range of emotions people are feeling," Ms.
Hellingman said. "From concern to stress to
questioning." To book an appointment, former patients and family members
are asked to contact the Community Mental Health Program at 621-2333, ext.
3300.
Meanwhile, a team of psychiatrists from outside the community are scheduled
to provide ongoing coverage to the Community Mental Health Program to fill
the void left by the departure of Dr. Khitab - who
was Cambridge's only full-time psychiatrist.
~~~~~~~
Kitchener Waterloo Record July 30, 1999
HOSPITAL SETS UP COUNSELLING FOR DOCTOR'S PATIENTS
Pitti Yelaja
Cambridge Memorial Hospital set up a special counselling team Thursday to
help Dr. Allan Khitab's patients cope in the aftermathof his being charged
with 11 sex related crimes. Khitab, 61, had worked at the hospital since
June 1989 and was its only full-time psychiatrist. The service was arranged
partly in response to anxious queries from several of Khitab's patients
following his arrest on Monday, said Tricia Hellingham, the hospital's
spokeswoman."We recognize they (patients) are experiencing a variety of
emotions and they have issues around this that they need to work through."
The team consists of staff members from the hospital's community mental
health unit. Support is available for Khitab's patients and their family
members. Appointments can be booked by calling 621-2333, ext. 3300.
Matt Torigian, spokesman for the Waterloo Regional Police, said other
incidents involving Khitab may come to light as a result of counselling.
"You've got a doctor who has seen a number of patients. It certainly
wouldn't surprise us if more victims come forward," he said. "Technically,
you could say the investigation is ongoing."
Hundreds and possibly thousands of psychiatric patients in Cambridge were
left in the lurch after the hospital suspended Khitab following his arrest.
The hospital is still scrambling to make alternate arrangements for those
patients, Hellingman said. Two part-time psychiatrists at Cambridge
Memorial have agreed to work extended hours and the hospital is still
negotiating to bring in psychiatrists from other areas to help fill in
temporarily, Hellingman said. "There has been a willingness to assist and
help."
On Monday Khitab was arrested and charged with 11 counts of sexual
wrongdoing, including sexual assault, sexual interference, sexual
exploitation and invitation to sexual touching involving five male patients
aged 12 to 16. The alleged incidents all took place in Khitab's Cambridge
hospital office between 1989 and 1994. Khitab was released on bail and is
to reappear in Cambridge court on Sept. 16.