Man gets life term for stabbing woman 66 times in Dubai

Dubai - He will be deported after completing his jail term.

A watchman, who stabbed a woman 66 times in her abdomen, chest, back and neck claiming he was irritated after she insulted him and kicked a water bucket he was using, was sentenced to life in jail.

Public prosecution records show that after killing her, the 25-year-old Pakistani left the studio flat, where the woman, a Filipina, had been staying with her boyfriend in the International City, to wash up and change his clothes in his room. He came back to the crime scene when the ambulance and police arrived.

The Court of First Instance convicted him of premeditated murder and theft charges for which he was given two more years. He denied in court that he had the intention to kill her. He will be deported after completing his jail term.

The forensic report showed that the woman received 66 cuts. It said the stab wounds the victim received were deep and affected her right lung, cut through her heart and damaged her liver.

The incident as told by the watchman during the questioning happened on February 18, 2016. He claimed he was cleaning the corridor near the flat in the English cluster at 9.30am.

He claimed the victim irritated him when she kicked the water bucket, after he told her to not walk around.

He then planned the attack and brought a knife and a pair of gloves. He went to her flat at 2pm on the pretext he wanted to fix the fire alarm system.

He took her by surprise stabbing her twice in the abdomen at first and when she tried to scream through the window he covered her mouth, punched and kicked her in the face.

He brought another knife with which he stabbed her multiple times in the chest, back and all over her body. He then smashed an aquarium on her head. He left the place after stealing some small bills of different currencies and covering his blood-tainted clothes with a coat from the closet.

The victim's body was discovered by her Indian boyfriend, a 38-year-old sales manager. He said they had been living together for more than one year and the last time he spoke to her on that day was around 1pm. He said the watchman had been working at the building for almost three weeks.

He went back to his flat around 7:30pm and found the door open. He saw his girlfriend's body lying with the face down in a pool of blood.

The police arrested the watchman two days later.

Scratches on the defendant's face in addition to his knee and finger injuries (he slipped and injured his knee with the smashed aquarium glass) were clues that helped the police arrest the accused.

The ruling may still be appealed by the watchman within 15 days.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai