Man loses appeal against jail term for killing roommate

DUBAI // A man given a 7-year-jail term for killing his roommate has lost his appeal against the sentence.

The 29-year-old Indian was convicted of stabbing a compatriot to death because he turned on the light in the room they shared as he was preparing to sleep on April 9 last year.

In an earlier hearing, the Dubai Criminal Court was told that the defendant turned off the light at their accommodation in Dubai Investments Park at around 10pm but the victim turned it back on.

This happened a few times before the two engaged in a fist fight.

A 23-year-old Indian testified that he tried to end the fight. “By the time I got to their room I found the victim bleeding from his chest and spitting blood while the defendant was sat on his bed,” testified the driver who called for an ambulance.

A 20-year-old Emirati policeman said he found the victim’s body on the floor in a pool of blood with a stab wound to the chest.

“I found bloody footprints and followed them to the defendant who was standing alone behind the accommodation,” said the officer, adding the defendant had a head injury and bruises on his neck.

A forensics report stated that the victim died from a stab wound to the right lung.

In the criminal and appeals courts the defendant denied killing his compatriot intentionally. The court of appeal upheld the criminal court’s verdict. The defendant will be deported after serving his jail term.