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.
salamir@thenational.ae
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School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
