DUBAI // A man who was looking to buy bootleg alcohol was stabbed to death after interrupting an attempted rape, Dubai Criminal Court was told.
On January 9 this year, the Pakistani victim, whose age was not in court records, approached two Emiratis who were trying to assault a 21-year-old Pakistani man and asked if they could sell him alcohol.
“He walked towards them while I was still few steps behind, suddenly I saw one man attacking him with a knife, then the two other joined in the attack. I ran towards a passer-by asking for his phone while the attackers escaped and my friend collapsed,” said the victim’s friend, a 31-year-old Pakistani.
The incident happened in the Baniyas area of Naif.
“We arrested all three men after we received a report about the incident from the deceased’s friend who was with him that night,” said a policeman, adding that during questioning all three men confessed to stabbing the victim after consuming alcohol that night.
“The Pakistani who escaped being raped took part in the stabbing,” said the officer.
“The trio gave the same testimony about how the deceased approached them, that he was in an abnormal condition and when they tried to push him away he started a fight during which all three of them assaulted and stabbed him,” said the officer.
All three defendants were charged with premeditated murder, which they denied in court. The Emiratis, both aged 27, were also charged with attempted rape, which they both denied.
The next hearing will be on April 9.
salamir@thenational.ae