Dubai: A worker was sentenced to five years in jail after a court convicted him on Monday of stabbing his friend to death with a knife.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 26-year-old defendant from Myanmar of intentionally stabbing his countryman to death while he was under the influence of alcohol.

“The accused will also be jailed for an additional month for drinking alcohol. He will be deported following the completion of his punishment,” said Presiding Judge Ali Atiyyah Saad.

Pleading not guilty, the 26-year-old Z.M. told the court: “I did not have any intention to kill him. He was my friend. I could not have killed my friend.”

Prosecutors said it was a case of premeditated murder as Z.M. stabbed his countryman in the chest with a kitchen knife. He was additionally charged with consuming alcohol.

A Pakistani security guard said he was on duty when he spotted the victim, Z.N., sitting and smoking 20 meters away from him.

“I was watching the parking gate of the labour accommodation where we stay in Al Qouz. The deceased sat at the pavement smoking. I heard a loud bang on the floor and then I spotted the defendant and the victim fighting. I saw Z.N. leaning over the defendant and they were both on the ground. I rushed towards them and smelled alcohol. I saw a knife covered with blood in the hand of the defendant when I pulled him away from Z.N. The latter fell on the ground. Z.N. breathed heavily and quickly when he knelt down on the floor. He took his last breath and died. I and other workers prevented Z.M. from leaving and called the police,” the witness claimed.

Prosecution records said the defendant murmured a number of words such as “no problem” and “friend”.

One of the workers, according to records, allowed the accused to go to the nearest washroom where he disposed of the knife. An Emirati police corporal testified that they found the knife in the toilet where Z.M. had thrown it.

The defendant claimed during prosecution questioning that he took the knife from the accommodation’s kitchen and that it jabbed the victim’s back when he tried to sit.

Monday’s judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.