Duba: A worker will face a firing squad after Dubai’s highest court confirmed his capital punishment for stabbing a businessman to death and stealing his belongings in November 2012.

The Afghan worker, B.G., premeditatedly murdered the wealthy Iraqi businessman and killed him in collaboration with his two countrymen, Z.H. and A.A., and stole his three mobile phones, car and wallet.

The Dubai Cassation Court dismissed B.G.’s appeal for a reduced sentence although he contended that he acted in self-defence as he foiled the victim’s alleged attempt at rape.

According to Monday’s ruling, the Cassation Court also upheld the life sentence of Z.H. and A.A., who were both convicted of aiding and abetting B.G. In March, the Dubai Appeal Court upheld Z.H.’s capital punishment and life sentences against his accomplices, Z.H. and A.A.

The Afghan convicts had entered a not guilty plea and denied the charge of intentionally killing the victim and stealing his belongings.

According to the cassation ruling, Z.H. and A.A. will be deported following the completion of their punishments.

The civil lawsuit of the victim’s family was referred to the Dubai Civil Court.

B.G.’s court-appointed lawyer argued that his client was compelled to kill the businessman in self-defence when the latter tried to rape him.

“The victim lured B.G. with money. He hired him as an accountant but constantly asked him for a massage. My client acted in self-defence when the victim tried to abuse him sexually,” contended the lawyer.

However, the victim’s family trashed the allegation that the victim had purportedly tried to rape B.G., contending that he was an upright individual.

B.G.’s lawyer argued that his client was in a state of “imminent danger” when the businessman tried to rape him.

Court records said B.G. was busted when a police patrol asked him to pull over while driving the victim’s car in Dubai International City. “We suspected B.G. when he took a wrong turn and entered a dead-end. After we asked him to pull over, he claimed that he was playing tennis. When I asked him about a bloodstain on his shirt, B.G. claimed that he had bled from his nose. We discovered that the car belonged to the victim. He said the businessman was his friend and he had lent him his vehicle. The Iraqi victim didn’t answer his phone when we contacted him … then we took B.G. to the police station for further questioning,” a policeman testified.

A police lieutenant said he noticed a knife wound on B.G.’s chest.

“When I asked him about the wound, he admitted that he had killed the owner of the car,” said the lieutenant.

B.G.’s lawyer argued that after his client rejected the businessman’s sexual advances, the victim persisted and they fought.

“The Iraqi took out a knife from under his bed and tried to coerce my client to have sex with him, B.G. resisted. The victim stabbed my client in his chest. My client grabbed a knife from the kitchen to defend himself. Z.H. and A.A. did not kill the victim. B.G. phoned and asked them for help after he stabbed the businessman as he didn’t know what to do,” said the lawyer.

The capital punishment has become final pending the ruler’s endorsement.