Man found not guilty of room-mate’s murder six years ago

DUBAI // A man who was referred to court in connection with the killing of an Indian man six years ago was on Wednesday morning found not guilty of a premeditated murder charge.

Indian M P, 28, denied the charge at Dubai Criminal Court last December after prosecutors alleged that he stabbed his countryman, R N, to death.

Records show that the murder came to light when R N’s decomposing body was found near gate 8 at Jebel Ali Free Zone in March 2011.

The body was taken to a laboratory where a post-mortem examination concluded that the victim had been stabbed to death. His identity was discovered and police found he had been reported missing by his employers.

Investigations into the victim’s employer and workmates revealed that he had been in a dispute with the defendant, with whom he shared a room at the company’s accommodation.

The defendant was not arrested as he had left the country in 2010 but police issued a warrant against him.

When M P returned to the UAE in May last year, through Sharjah airport, he was arrested and taken to a Dubai Police station, where officers claim he confessed to killing R N because he had insulted him.

“He said that R N shared the same room and both worked under the same supervisor, who always complained about R N’s performance and blamed both of them for poor work,” said police major K Z, 47. “He also said that R N often insulted him, which made him hate him and decide to kill him.”

On the day of the murder the two men and a friend agreed to meet and drink alcohol together, police said.

“M P had purchased a knife and he took it with him, hiding it under his clothes,” said the major. “When he got to the meeting place, he said that R N didn’t like that he came so he started insulting him. He told us he lost his temper and stabbed R N four times in the chest and that he then buried him.”

The major said that M P claimed he was defending himself as R N had smashed one of the alcohol bottles and attacked him with it. The defendant allegedly told police that, after the murder, he and the other man washed the blood off their clothes in the sea before heading back to their accommodation.

The victim was reported missing two days later. A few months later M P left the country, returning last year. M P denied the charges in court. “I never did it,” he said, and the court agreed with him and he will be released.