Dubai: A worker has been jailed for five years for beating his co-worker to death with a wooden rod while he was inebriated.
The Indian victim and his 30-year-old countryman were drinking liquor when the 26-year-old Indian worker joined them in December.
The victim, who seemed to be troubled, started talking about his family disputes, when the 26-year-old asked him to stop discussing the details of his family problems.
The worker told the victim that he and their friend were not interested in listening to his family issues, which irritated the victim, who beat the defendant with a wooden rod.
The 26-year-old worker snatched the rod away and hit back at the victim, who fell down unconscious.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendant of beating the victim to death and drinking liquor.
Presiding judge Urfan Omar said the defendant, who had pleaded innocent, will be deported after serving his jail term.
Police and an ambulance were called to the scene, but the victim died before their arrival in a truck parking area in Jebel Ali Industrial Area.
A 30-year-old defendant was fined Dh2,000 for failing to report the crime to the police and drinking.
Prosecutors said the 26-year-old battered the victim on the back of his head and caused his death without intending to do so.
“I drank alcohol … but I am not responsible for the victim’s demise,” the 26-year-old defendant told presiding judge Omar.
The 30-year-old argued that he was drunk, but denied the charge of having failed to report the crime to the police.
The 26-year-old accused admitted to prosecutors that when he refused to listen to the victim discussing his family problems, the latter swore at him and assaulted him with the wooden rod.
“We had a heated argument and fought because I had told him that we were not interested in listening to his problems. Then he swore at me and assaulted me. I hit him back,” he said.
The 30-year-old accused admitted to prosecutors that following the assault, he tried to help the victim but had run away once he realised his friend had died.
Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
