DUBAI // A worker who stabbed his roommate after he claimed the devil had seduced him was sentenced to three years in jail by Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday morning.
The Pakistani defendant, 23, denied an attempted murder charge in court last June.
Early on the morning of February 1, the defendant stabbed his 29-year-old compatriot in the arm and back, in an attempt to kill him, the court heard.
Records showed the pair shared a room at labour accommodation in Jebel Ali and had been arguing two days before the stabbing.
At 5.30am on the day of the incident, as the victim was about to leave for work, the defendant stopped him and asked if he had told anyone about their argument.
“He asked me if I’d told Ali about our argument and I told him I did not know anyone named Ali. He was angry at that moment,” said the victim, in records.
As he turned his back and went to leave, the defendant took him by surprise and stabbed him.
The victim managed to walk out of the room where a co-worker spotted him bleeding.
“I had him sit on a chair and tried to stop the bleeding after I called for an ambulance. Then he told me that [the defendant] stabbed him and insulted him,” said Palestinian F B, 40.
A Pakistani security guard said the defendant told him he had been seduced by the devil to stab his roommate. The guard kept the defendant in his room until police arrived and arrested him.
Emirati forensics expert S A, 28, said the knife wounds caused severe injuries.
The defendant will be deported after serving his jail term.
salamir@thenational.ae
