Chef killed colleague who spoke to his wife on phone, Dubai court told

Man was stabbed in neck and killed after talking to colleague's wife on the phone, court told.

DUBAI // A sous chef at a restaurant stabbed a colleague to death for speaking on the phone to the chef’s wife.

Dubai Criminal Court was told that on December 22 last year the 27-year-old Pakistani was preparing tea at the restaurant in Al Mamzar’s Century Mall about 4pm while his countryman was on the phone.

When the chef discovered his wife was on the other end of the line he grabbed a knife and repeatedly stabbed him.

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“I was a metre away from both of them when it happened,” said a 48-year-old Pakistani who also worked as a chef. “The two were just fine and never had an argument.

“But that minute when the defendant heard his name three times during the phone call, then realised his wife was on the other line, he picked up a knife, grabbed him by his shirt and stabbed him three times in the neck.”

The witness said the defendant dropped the knife and ran off.

“He managed to escape to the first floor of the mall but we chased him and called for security, who apprehended him before he could get out of the mall.”

A security guard said he saw a man running through the mall as a group of men gave chase shouting, “catch him, catch him”.

“I took him to the security room and called police. He was very scared,” said the Nepalese guard.

A police lieutenant said: “The defendant was in shock and crying. He said the man was in contact with his wife and talking badly about him.”

In court, the chef denied a charge of premeditated murder. He that he stabbed the deceased to defend himself after he had attacked him with a spoon.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 29.