ABU DHABI // Two North Koreans claim they were held hostage by the men they are accused of trying to murder.
The pair deny trying to kill three Emiratis and two Bangladeshis during a mass brawl in Al Shamkha.
The defendants told the Criminal Court they entered a villa in Al Shamkha while searching for a colleague who had been missing for months.
They said that as their friend worked in construction and the building was being renovated, they thought they might find him inside.
Their lawyer claimed there was no criminal intent to harm anyone.
“The victims held the defendants hostage, restricted their movement and reported them to police, claiming they were stealing,” the lawyer said.
“This made the defendants nervous and they freaked out so they tried to escape from the place.
“But then two of the victims ran after them and caught one of them and beat him up severely with their hands, legs and canes.”
The defendant lost consciousness and was taken to hospital, said the lawyer, adding that medical reports backed up this story.
One of the victims testified that he had knocked one of the North Korean men unconscious after he tried to slap him.
“And even if we were to assume that he did slap one of the victims, this is not considered an attempt to murder because of the circumstances of the situation,” the lawyer said.
At a previous hearing in December, the North Koreans had refused to use a translator from South Korea because they said their government banned them talking to someone from the nation.
A verdict is due to be announced on February 24.
hdajani@thenational.ae
