Kareem Al-Salami, 49, from Sunshine North has been charged with attempting to murder Dr Michael Wong by stabbing him in the back in the foyer of Melbourne's Western General Hospital in February 2014.
Al-Salami allegedly knifed Dr Wong as he arrived at work, and then repeatedly attacked his unconscious body. A witness claimed the accused slashed at his victim at least 30 times before hospital staff could intervene and rescue him by performing life-saving surgery.
Al-Salami arrived in Australia as an asylum seeker in 2010 and Dr Wong had performed an operation on his spine in 2012. Dr Wong had seen him a number of times since then for follow-up consultations.
Forensic doctor Clare-Ann McKeown told Melbourne Magistrates Court Al-Salami was rocking back and forth when she saw him following his arrest. He had told her a network of seven doctors were involved in a conspiracy to take his money to prevent him from seeking medical help elsewhere.
"He spoke of seven individuals who were actively conspiring against him, to watch him and to make sure he wasn't seeing any other doctor," she said.
Al-Salami has pleaded not guilty to 26 charges, including attempted murder, intention to cause serious injury and assaulting hospital staff. He will stand trial in the Victorian Supreme Court.
