DUBAI // A cook who stabbed a friend to death during his birthday party was sentenced to 15 years in jail on Monday.
“I did not realise what I was doing when I stabbed him,” S J, 29, from India told the Criminal Court last May.
“I was heavily drunk, I had consumed too much alcohol and I was acting without any thinking, but I didn’t mean to kill him.”
Prosecutors said that the victim, Anil Akari, was throwing a birthday party on December 16 last year.
The defendant and other men had been invited to the early morning party.
One of the other guests, R M, 35, a waiter from India, said: “We arrived with about 10 other friends, including the defendant, who started drinking alcohol with Akari.
“About two hours later the host insulted S J’s brother using foul language because the brother had not come to the party.”
R M said S J left the studio apartment and the other guests sat down to eat. Soon after, S J returned brandishing a knife.
“He stabbed Akari one time and tried to stab him again but I stopped him,” said R M.
He added that friends helped restrain the defendant until police arrived. Police officer S S, 43, said: “I saw two men restraining a man on the ground, and saw another man on his back bleeding heavily.”
The forensics report said the victim was stabbed twice, with one wound being fatal.
S J was handed an additional month in jail for consuming alcohol. He will be deported after completing his jail term.
salamir@thenational.ae
