Dubai: A prisoner is seeking an early release after having spent 15 years out of a life imprisonment that he was handed for choking a prostitute and hurling her from a seventh floor in 2001.

In 2002, the Dubai Court of First Instance jailed the Uzbek convict, K.S., for life for trying to kidnap the Russian victim, asphyxiating her and throwing her body from the balcony of the seven-storey flat of her friend in Al Muraqqabat in 2001.

The 59-year-old petitioner has been serving his life sentence at Dubai Central Jail since his arrest on March 19, 2001.

Dubai Prosecutors accused K.S. of premeditated murder and attempted kidnap.

Meanwhile, 24-year-old O.M., from Turkmenistan, was charged with encouraging K.S. to kidnap the victim. He was additionally charged with abusing the victim by pocketing her proceeds from working in prostitution.

Prosecutors also accused a 36-year-old Ukrainian woman, L.M., of aiding and abetting K.S. by allowing him into the flat where the incident happened at 9.30am.

The Uzbek petitioner appeared at the Dubai Court of First Instance and lodged his petition for an early release before presiding judge Urfan Omar on Thursday.

Records said the Uzbek convict based his petition on Article 1/45 of the Federal Law No 43 of 1992, concerning regulating punitive and correctional establishments. The law stipulates that a convict who has completed 15 years out of a life sentence (25 years) is entitled to file a special petition to be released from jail.

The petitioner obtained a good behaviour certificate, according to court records, and a recommendation for his release (on grounds of excellent behaviour and repentance for his crime) was issued from the management of Dubai Central Jail.

He clubbed the certificate with his special petition that he lodged through the Dubai Public Prosecution.

In June 2002, the Dubai Cassation Court upheld a life sentence against K.S. for killing the Russian and a bid to kidnap her. Meanwhile the same court confirmed a life sentence against O.M., who had paid money to K.S. to kidnap the victim, and confirmed another five-year imprisonment for pimping.

A police lieutenant testified before the court that Dubai Police’s operations room was notified about a Russian woman’s fall from a balcony.

“The building’s watchman said he heard a loud sound outside the building. Meanwhile an Indian delivery boy said a woman, who had placed an order, did not answer the door when he went to deliver the goods to the seventh floor flat. A woman who shared the same flat said she left the residence before the victim woke up,” he stated.

According to court records, L.M. was acquitted for lack of corroborated evidence.

The latter had testified that K.S. and O.M. came to her flat a day before the incident at 9am wanting to take the victim, who refused to leave.

Court records confirmed that O.M. had flown the victim to Dubai to work for him as a prostitute and the murder happened when she absconded and refused to continue working for him in the sex trade.

O.M. had paid K.S. Dh1,500 to kidnap the Russian woman and bring her back to him.

When the victim fought back and foiled K.S.’ bid to take her out of the flat, according to records, he suffocated her and then threw her body down.

“You will hear the court decision on May 26,” presiding judge Omar told the petitioner.