Disgraced orthopaedic surgeon Dr Munjed Al Muderis has relisted his Sydney Harbour penthouse for $18 million, $2 million less than what it was listed for in May last year.
Al Muderis lost his marathon defamation case against Nine, the owner of this masthead, in August last year, over a series of reports in late 2022 from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and 60 Minutes alleging inadequate patient care, unethical practices and improper patient selection.
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom Milsons Point apartment with uninterrupted Harbour Bridge and Luna Park views was listed with a price guide of $20 million in May last year, through John Tower of Tower & London, who is also handling the current campaign.
Al Muderis bought the top-floor pad off-the-plan for $10 million in 2018, records show. Tower told this masthead that the surgeon made some improvements to the fitout after purchasing.
Tower declined to comment on Al Muderis’ reason to sell. This masthead contacted his lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou, SC, a representative for whom declined to comment, and his Sydney practice, but Al Muderis was unreachable.
The unit has a 288-square-metre footprint with interiors by Strutt Studios and construction by JDV Projects.
A group of brass pendants in the dining area is a statement, and pair well with marble-topped joinery in the living zone. There is a “hotel-style master suite with epic harbour views”, as stated on the listing. Lift access is a bonus feature.
Al Muderis alleged in the Federal Court that the reports by Nine conveyed defamatory meanings, including that he negligently performed osseointegration surgery and provided inadequate aftercare. Osseointegration is a surgical procedure where titanium pins are inserted into the residual bone of an amputated limb in order for a prosthetic to be connected.
Nine, the owner of the media outlets being sued, relied on contextual truth, honest opinion and public interest in its defence of journalists Charlotte Grieve, Tom Steinfort and Natalie Clancy. Al Muderis has since filed a notice of appeal.
Justice Wendy Abraham found Nine had established both contextual truth and the public interest defences. Due to this the judge did not consider honest opinion.
Nearly three dozen patients and 17 other healthcare providers were called upon as witnesses. Abraham also considered the evidence of 22 patients who were presented to the court as case studies for osseointegration performed between 2013 and the publication of reports from late 2022, as well as four other orthopaedic patients.
Al Muderis’ lawyer, Chrysanthou, SC, had argued that Nine had unreasonably painted the surgeon as a “Dr Frankenstein”.
Kristy Johnson is a prestige property reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.
