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29 March 2024

Birthday party murder: Defence lawyer seeks testimony of 'prime witness'

Published
By Eman Al Baik

Did the worker who was killed by a colleague during a fight at his birthday party abuse the accused’s brother for not attending the party? This was the question for which an answer was sought by the accused’s defence lawyer. He requested the Dubai court to hear the testimony of the ‘prime witness’ for finding the answer.
 
“Your honour, the court heard the testimonies of two co-workers who were not present when the two fought verbally before the knife attack took place,” the lawyer said.

The first witness that the court heard was SK who reached the accommodation only after the stabbing.
 
The lawyer requested the court to hear the testimony of the 'prime witness', the worker who was present when the two men exchanged sharp words.

The court agreed to the request and adjourned the case until June 19.
 
In an earlier hearing, the court heard the testimonies of two affirmative witnesses but none of them knew anything about any fight between the two men before the attack.

In the previous hearing, SK, 43, Indian worker, 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 noises were heard. 

“I was not among the invitees but as I heard noises, I went up to the accommodation’s third floor to find out what was happening. When I reached the victim’s room, I saw him standing at his flat’s doorstep bleeding heavily from a big wound in his belly with parts of his internal organs visible.

“In a few seconds he fell unconscious. I rushed into the flat and I 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 the man’s hand. I did it and wrapped the knife in a piece of cloth and 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 9.30 in the morning and asked him to come and join in his birthday party and have some food and drink.

“I went along with him to his accommodation and we both got into the house together. About five minutes later, the accused came. He looked drunk as he was swaying in his walk. Immediately and without saying a single word, he stepped towards the victim and slashed him in the belly. It was a big wound after which the victim stumbled out of the room. I did not notice if the attacker stabbed him again as I was trying to overcome him with a co-worker. I got wounded in my arm and foot,” AH told the jury, adding that he did not expect that the accused would attack the victim although he saw him holding a knife.

“Later when SK entered the flat, we asked him to take the knife out of the attacker’s hand,” said AH.

Later, AH went to his flat to attend to his wound, he told the court.
 
The crime

According to the records, about ten workers were invited by AS to celebrate his birthday in his flat on December 16 at the staff accommodation.

The party was held at 7.30am because the workers were on night duty. The guests ate and drank before they left at around 9.30am.

All the guests left except for three: the accused, SJ, 29, RS, 35, Indian waiter, who was also the victim’s roommate, and SK who was invited at the last moment.

However, the records mentioned that at the end of the party, a fight broke out between the host and SJ, one of his guests.
 
"The victim blamed SJ as the latter's brother had not turned up for the party. Then he abused the brother and his parents. SJ left the flat angry. He returned after about 10 minutes holding a big knife with which he stabbed the victim in his belly in front of the three of us.

“I tried to prevent him from stabbing him again, but he resisted me and asked me to let him kill. While I was trying to hold him, we both fell to the ground and my thumb got hurt. The other two intervened and caught the attacker. I rushed out to call for an ambulance. The victim was on the ground bleeding from his belly at the flat's door step,” RS told investigators.

The forensic lab reported that the victim sustained a big fatal  wound in the belly and another one in the left chest.

SJ is being prosecuted for premeditatedly killing his colleague in addition to consuming alcohol.