ABU DHABI // A 61-year-old Pakistani man was arrested for allegedly hacking his wife with a meat cleaver at a mall because he suspected she was having an affair, Abu Dhabi Police has said.
The 40-year-old Filipina was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
Col Rashid Mohammad Borshid, head of the Criminal Investigation Department, said the incident took place at about 3.30pm on Monday at Capital Mall, near Mohammed bin Zayed City, on the outskirts of the capital.
He said the suspect, Q Shah, was arrested at the scene, where they also found the weapon. The victim, J D, is a saleswoman at a cosmetics shop at the mall.
Security camera footage showed the man following his wife into the mall. Witnesses said he was later asking her co-workers where she was.
Col Borshid said the man then left the store and tried to call his wife but she did not answer. He later returned with a meat cleaver, spotted his wife and grabbed her by the hair before stabbing her multiple times before she managed to flee.
During interrogations, the suspect said his wife was having an affair with an Asian security guard at the mall and that he had seen pictures on her phone confirming his suspicions. He admitted to following his wife to work and stealing the weapon from a shop in the mall.
Police also arrested the security guard suspected of having relations with the victim. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Col Borshid urged people to resolve their marital problems in a civilised manner.
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