Facebook photo led to vicious murder and 15 years in Dubai jail for killer

DUBAI // A 27-year-old brother who repeatedly stabbed a man for posting a scandalous photo of his sister on Facebook, was sentenced to 15 years in jail this morning.

Indian KA attacked the man, DN, in a hotel apartment car park, with forensic experts saying that the victim, whose age and nationality were not given, had 28 wounds on his body, 20 of which penetrated the skin, implying that the killer intended on ending his victim's life.

KA had denied a charge of premeditated murder at Dubai Criminal Court, saying it was an act of self defence and he did not mean to kill DN.

However, prosecutors demanded the death penalty and said that he planned the crime by hiding a knife under his clothes before heading to DN's workplace on May 30 last year. They said KA then lured the victim into the underground car park of Xclusive hotel apartments, in Bur Dubai, before taking out the knife and stabbing him repeatedly to death.

A Filipino witness identified as RP, 37, told prosecutors that at nearly 2.30pm on the day of the incident he went to the car park to check on cleaners. "I saw the victim and the defendant talking together before I walked away towards a cleaner," he said.

About seven minutes later KA and DN went to the basement car park after which the Filipino heard a very loud scream. "I looked for the source of the sound and looked from the edge of the ground park down to further check for the source and then saw the defendant walking away and hiding something in his back pocket," said RP.

He added that he saw bloodstains on KA's clothes and when he ran down to the basement area, he saw the victim lying on his back in a pool of blood. RP ordered workers around him to reach the reception and call police.

The hotel also provided police with surveillance camera footage that showed the murder.

Prosecutors said that the defendant stabbed his victim more than 10 times in the abdomen, neck, chest and forehead.

A Moroccan security guard at the hotel, 28-year-old RA, said he saw the whole crime on camera and that it happened in just a few seconds.

"After he was taken by surprise and attacked, the victim tried to get up, walked few steps, then fell down," the security guard said.

Police investigations revealed that the dispute between the killer and his victim was because of a picture of KA's sister on Facebook, though no other details about the dispute were given in records.

KA was arrested after blood drops that did not match those of the victim were found at the scene.

"He confessed during investigations and said that the victim was scandalising his sister on Facebook, and that he lost his temper after the man threatened to kill his sister," said Emirati policeman AA, 24, who added that KA said he threw the murder weapon into a bin.

Libyan forensic expert FO, 59, testified that there were 28 wounds in the victim's body, 20 of which were of a penetrative nature. He also said there were wounds on the victim's hand, which indicates that he tried to defend himself.

KA will be deported after completing his prison term.