Farm worker charged with attempted murder over livestock feed fight

The accused deliberately ran over his colleague in a car, a court hears

A farm worker has been charged with attempted murder after deliberately running over his colleague during an argument over livestock feed.

Dubai Criminal Court heard how the accused man, 58, drove his car into the victim, breaking both his arms.

After hitting his colleague once, he then tried to reverse over the man but failed.

Police were called to the scene and the suspect was arrested. Officers said he denies attempted murder.

“I tried to avoid it [the car] but it was sudden and I just couldn’t get out of the way,” the victim said.

The incident happened on February 1, when the defendant was asked by his colleague to deliver sheep feed from his employer’s house to a farm in Dubai.

But the two men began arguing over a dirty container in which the feed was kept.

The bickering continued outside the house with the pair continuing to exchange insults. Moments later, the defendant used his vehicle to run over the man.

“He [the defendant] became upset because the feed was in a dirty container and asked the victim to transfer it to a clean one,” a cook who witnessed the fight said.

Appearing in court, the accused man claimed the incident was an accident. “I was moving the car and he was in the way,” he said. “I didn’t mean to hit him nor did I mean to kill him.”

A verdict is expected on May 21.