DUBAI // A man who was sentenced to three years in jail for stabbing his friend to death in a dispute over the sale of a motorbike has had his prison term more than tripled.
Prosecutors appealed the sentence issued by Dubai Criminal Court last year against Emirati M S, 18, who was convicted of stabbing compatriot H G in the chest, heart and abdomen on February 8 last year.
Dubai Court of Appeal ordered M S be jailed for 10 years.
Prosecutors said M S sold a motorbike belonging to H G. However, they fought when M S failed to pay H G the full amount from the sale, resulting in the victim being stabbed.
Witness R R told prosecutors he heard H G talking to one of his relatives on the phone at a cafe on Sheikh Zayed Road.
“I heard the deceased telling his relative that he would burn the home of anyone who takes his motorbike,” said 24-year-old R R, adding that M S came to the cafe and asked H R to talk outside.
“I saw them fighting and pushing each other before we calmed them down outside the cafe,” said R R.
Police officer A A, 22, told prosecutors that H G and a few friends then went to M S’s home to reconcile.
Emirati student A H H, said M S wanted to talk to H G because they were good friends.
“M S went to the car where [H G] was sitting, and then we saw H G get out of the car,” said the 24-year-old.
“We ran towards them after we saw the deceased on the ground and M S on top of him stabbing him with a knife.”
The victim was taken to Rashid Hospital but died.
M S later handed himself in to police but denied a premeditated murder charge in court. He was found guilty and jailed.
salamir@thenational.ae
