Drunk nurse killed friend with potato peeler, Dubai court hears

Suspect was arrested at Dubai International Airport while attempting to board a flight to the Philippines.

DUBAI // A nurse stabbed his friend to death with a potato peeler then tried to flee the country, a court heard yesterday.

“I didn’t meant to kill him, it happened by accident while I was drunk,” the 39-year-old Filipino, O?J, told Dubai Criminal Court.

His co-worker, Filipino J?M, said he, a female friend and the victim, L?J, were invited to dinner by the nurse on October 3 last year.

“We all arrived at nearly 9pm and about four hours later an argument erupted between the two,” said the co-worker.

The female friend was in the kitchen and said she closed the door when she heard raised voices, so did not see the stabbing. The co-worker said the nurse grabbed a potato peeler and stabbed his victim three times in the chest. The victim walked to his flat, on the sixth floor of the same building, and collapsed at his front door.

The co-worker followed and found him unconscious, so called police. He was taken to hospital but died on arrival.

At 7.30am, police arrested the nurse at Dubai International Airport as he prepared to board a flight to the Philippines.

He denied premeditated murder but admitted illegal consumption of alcohol.

The next hearing is on March 25 to assign a defence lawyer.