Birthday party killer's sentence upheld

An Indian cook who killed his co-worker on the victim’s birthday, has had his sentence of 15 years in jail upheld by the Dubai Court of Appeal.

The court also upheld the lower court’s order of an additional one month in jail for consuming alcohol and deportation against SJ, 29.

According to the records, 10 staffers were invited by AS to celebrate his birthday in his flat. The party was held in the morning at 7.30am, because all workers were on the night shift that day.

The guests ate and drank before they left at around 9.30am. All left except for three: the accused SJ; RS, 35, Indian waiter, the victim’s roommate, and SK who was invited at the last moment.

According to court records, at the end of the party, a fight broke out between the host and the guest SJ. "The victim blamed SJ as the latter's brother did not attend the party and abused his brother and his parents. SJ left the flat in anger but returned after 10 minutes with a big knife with which he stabbed the victim in front of the three of us.

“I tried to prevent him from stabbing him again. While I was trying to hold him, we both fell on the floor and my thumb was injured. The other two intervened and caught the attacker. I rushed out to call for an ambulance while the bleeding victim was on the floor," RS told investigators.

Forensics reported that the victim sustained a fatal wound in the belly and another on the left side of his chest.

SJ was prosecuted for premeditated murder of his co-worker and consuming alcohol.

In a previous hearing, SK, 43, Indian, told the court that he was not among the invitees but rushed to the third floor of the accommodation and to the flat from where he heard noises.

“I was not among the invitees but when I heard noises, I went up to the building’s third floor to find out what was going on. When I reached victim’s room, I saw him standing at the flat’s door bleeding severely from a big wound in his belly.

“In a few seconds he fell unconscious. I rushed into the flat and saw two men lying on a third who was holding a big kitchen knife in his hand. The two men asked me to take the knife out of that man’s hand. I did that and wrapped it in a piece of cloth, put it on the table and called the police,” SK told the court.

The second witness AH, 32, Indian cashier, told the court that the victim had come to him at about 9.30am and asked him to come and join his birthday party.

“I went with him to his accommodation and the accused came about five minutes later, looking drunk. He stepped towards the victim and stabbed him in the belly,” AH told the jury.

The accused denied the charges when he appeared before the First Instance and Appeal Courts and said he did not intend to kill his friend.

However, the court heard the testimonies of eye witnesses who had attended the party and found the accused guilty of premeditated murder.
 

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