Man hit colleague with meat cleaver during row over Dh30,000, hears Dubai court

DUBAI // A labourer hit his colleague in the back with a meat cleaver during a row over Dh30,000, a court heard today.

MA, 28, from Bangladesh, sustained a wound more than a foot-long after confronting his compatriot MS, 36, who had swindled him out of the money.

Prosecutors said he paid the man Dh30,000 in return for four visit permits for his family, but later found out the permits had been forged.

"I called him and told him they were forged and that I wanted my money back," he recalled.

The man told him to come to his house so they could discuss the issue. "I went and he asked me to enter but I refused and insisted he give me my money," said the man. When he turned to leave he was struck with the cleaver.

He fell unconscious briefly but then woke up and started screaming for help. Another labourer at the camp in Al Satwa saw him staggering around and called the emergency services.

"He wasn't walking straight so I thought he was drunk and asked him to leave," said the passer-by. "Then he fell to the ground, I saw he was bleeding heavily and had a cleaver in his back."

The attack took place in March 2012.

The accused labourer was not present in court to face a charge of attempted murder.

The case was adjourned to March 31.