The teenage daughters of an Indian coupled killed in a frenzied knife attack at their home in Dubai will give evidence in court next month.
The siblings, who are 18 and 13, were present at the family home in the Mirador area of Arabian Ranches when parents Hiren and Vidhi Adhiya were stabbed to death as they slept.
The eldest daughter, who found the couple's bodies, was herself stabbed by the intruder after being awoken by the attack.
"I went upstairs after hearing loud noises and used my mobile phone's flashlight to see," she said in her witness statement.
She said she saw the attacker as he tried to flee. He stabbed her in the neck and she kicked him.
Her sister woke up but was stopped from entering her parents’ bedroom by her older sibling, who called police and their father's colleague for help.
A 26-year-old Pakistani labourer, identified as D R, in November denied charges of murder, attempted murder and theft when he appeared at a hearing via video link from his prison cell.
On Wednesday, Dubai Criminal Court scheduled a hearing on February 10 to listen to the testimonies of the two sisters.
Judges will also listen to a friend of the deceased couple at the next court date.
Prosecutors believe the incident on June 17 of last year was a botched robbery, which led to murder.
Officers called to the scene found a bloody handprint on the wall.
A mask found on the victims’ bed contained blood samples that matched the suspect's DNA, prosecutors said.
The knife used in the murder was found about 500 metres from the house.
Investigators identified the suspect and arrested him in Sharjah a few days later.
During questioning, he said he climbed into the villa’s garden at about 11pm then waited for another two hours for the family to fall asleep.
After the lights went off, the intruder took off his shoes and sneaked in through an unlocked patio door.
He stole Dh1,965 from a wallet on the ground floor and went upstairs in search of more.
When Hiren, 48, woke to the sound of the bedside drawer opening, the attacker fatally injured him before turning to Vidhi, 40.
Forensic reports showed Hiren was stabbed 10 times in the head, chest, abdomen and left shoulder. His wife was stabbed 14 times in the head, neck, chest, face, ear and right arm.
The lawyer assigned by the court to defend the accused failed to attend all three court hearings, prompting judges to fine him Dh1,000.
It is expected that proceedings could last several months.
