Man who murdered flatmate has jail term increased by Dubai court

DUBAI // A man jailed for seven years for stabbing his flatmate to death has had an additional three years added to his sentence by the Court of Appeal.

The Public Prosecution appealed the sentence handed to Pakistani S K, 23, by the Criminal Court for the premeditated murder of J G.

The court heard that S K and his victim were helping a third flatmate, R A, 32, prepare dinner on November 9 last year when an argument began.

“Suddenly, the two started insulting each other, despite the fact they were just talking normally,” R A said. “Then, each one raised the knife in the face of the other. I went between them and tried to break up the fight.

“J G then put down his knife on the table but then S K did not and stabbed him in the left side of his chest.”

The witness said by the time he called an ambulance, S K had fled the scene.

The victim was taken to Rashid Hospital where he died.

In court last April, S K denied premeditated murder.

“I didn’t mean to kill him,” he said. “We were joking and then he assaulted me and we fought.”

The Court of Appeal also upheld an order to deport the defendant once his sentence is complete.