A Pakistani man strangled a colleague while he slept so he could be sent to jail - and avoid returning to his home country.
The killer, 27, was fearful of having to go back to Pakistan after learning that he was being blackmailed by a man in his homeland, who was in possession of naked pictures of him, Dubai Criminal Court heard.
He admitted that he was considering committing a crime in order to get himself put behind bars.
On February 26 of this year, while at work at a construction site in Nad Al Hamar, Dubai, he spotted the victim taking a midday nap during his break.
He jumped on top of the Indian man - whose age was not disclosed in court records - and strangled him with his own scarf.
A police captain said in evidence that other workers had to restrain the attacker.
“Witnesses confirmed that the accused and the victim had never had any kind of altercation,” said the captain.
The victim died while in an ambulance transporting him to hospital.
The attacker was arrested and told police during questioning that his brother in Pakistan had received naked pictures of him from a man who was blackmailing him, leaving him ashamed to return to the country.
“He admitted to me that there were no differences between him and the victim and he only decided to kill him so he could be sent to jail,” said a policeman who questioned the accused in the crime scene.
“He also told me that he specifically picked this victim because he was old and would not resist.”
Two workers testified they saw the accused restraining the victim and strangling him.
“We screamed and ran towards him. The accused continued to strangle him as we tried to push him away,” said an Egyptian worker.
In court, the accused admitted a premeditated murder charge.
The case was adjourned until May 13 in order for legal counsel to be appointed for the defendant.
