Dubai: A court has dropped the charge of attempt to murder against a prisoner, who was accused of trying to kill his cellmate in Dubai Central Jail, after they both reconciled.
The 35-year-old Pakistani prisoner, S.L., had a heated argument on a previous occasion with his countryman cellmate while the latter was reading the Quran in July.
S.L. then hid the metal tool that looked like a knife under his prison outfit, waited for the appropriate opportunity before he stabbed his cellmate thrice and nearly killed him, said records,
The Dubai Court of First Instance dropped the case against S.L. after he reconciled with the victim, who appeared in court earlier and waived his complaint against the defendant.
S.L. had planned in advance to kill his cellmate when he hid the sharp tool under his prison outfit and attacked him in a corridor, according to prosecutors.
Swift medical intervention helped save the cellmate’s life as he was rushed to hospital for treatment.
The 26-year-old cellmate said he had had a previous altercation with S.L. when he asked the latter to lower his voice while he was reading the Quran.
“I was reading the Quran once when S.L. indulged in a heated argument with another prisoner. I asked S.L. to lower his voice in order not to disturb those who were present in the cell. I also asked him to respect the other prisoner with whom he had been arguing. Later he stopped me in one of the corridors following a meal and asked me why I had interfered [in his argument with the other prisoner]. He asked me not to interfere between him and that prisoner … I said OK and apologised. Once I walked away, he stopped me again, pulled out a knife-like tool and stabbed me in my stomach. I fell down … other cellmates intervened and stopped him from continuing his attack. Then I was rushed to hospital,” claimed the cellmate.
A policeman said he called for an ambulance once he spotted the stabbed cellmate bleeding.
Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
