Dubai: A man who tried to kill his fellow countryman with a meat cleaver over Dh30,000 in fees for visas that turned out to be forged has been sentenced to six months in jail.
The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the 36-year-old Bangladeshi man, M.S., in absentia to six months in jail and fined him Dh2,000.
Prosecution records said the defendant stabbed 27-year-old M.A. M.A. testified that he paid M.S. around Dh30,000 to issue visit visas to his relatives.
“When I discovered that the visas were forged, I asked M.S. to return the money. He called me to his house to resolve the issue. He stabbed me with a cleaver in my back,” M.A. told prosecutors.
Records said M.A. was rushed to hospital and swift medical intervention helped save his life.
Presiding judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi cancelled the defendant’s bail and issued an arrest warrant against him.
The worker testified that he contacted the defendant in March 2012 and paid him money to issue the visas.
“Later it was discovered that the visas were forged. I called M.S. and asked him to pay me back the money. I met him outside his residence, but he asked me to go with him inside. I refused. I refused to give him the photocopies of the forged visas… when I was walking away, he stabbed me. I fell down unconscious,” said the worker.
A Bangladeshi salesman called the police once he saw M.A. crying for help and walking with difficulty.
“He was bleeding profusely from his back,” said the salesman.
A Yemeni policeman testified that the worker guided them to the defendant’s house. He was later taken into custody, said the policeman.
Sunday’s judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
