Drunk man stabs co-worker to death in Dubai after verbal brawl

Dubai - The worker denied he had the intention to kill the victim, claiming he acted in self-defence.

A worker has been charged with murder at the Dubai Court of First Instance after he stabbed a fellow labourer to death following a verbal brawl.
The court heard on Thursday that the two men were drunk at the time. Following a heated exchange of words, the defendant, a 33-year-old Asian, took a knife and stabbed the victim in the back. The victim died due to serious injuries that resulted in profuse bleeding.
The worker denied he had the intention to kill the victim, claiming he acted in self-defence. He alleged the victim initiated the fight by attacking him with a stick.
The incident took place on April 25 and was reported at Bur Dubai police station.
The defendant has been placed in detention.
A policeman said that they received a report about a body found on the road. "After investigation, we tracked down the defendant and arrested hm. The latter recounted how he had been sitting down with the victim and other men consuming alcohol."
The defendant told the police that a group of Pakistanis then approached them and tried to rob them. "The victim stood up against them while the rest of the men left the scene. However, when they gathered again, a fight broke out between the accused and the victim, during which the latter allegedly tried to assault him (the accused), chased him and then hit him with a stick," the policeman said quoting the defendant.
The defendant told the interrogators that after he felt tired, he picked up a knife (which was at the place) and stabbed the victim in the back.
The accused then fled the scene and came back later with other persons and tried to wake the victim up but to no avail.
The accused led the police later to his place where he hid the knife after cleaning the blood off it.
The forensic doctor, who examined the body, said that the stab was so deep that it cut through the back muscles and vital blood vessels. He said that the cause of death was profuse bleeding. 
Bruises were spotted on the defendant which could have resulted from the assault by the victim. 
The trial will resume on September 10.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai