Lawyer says frail client could not have murdered big woman

Dubai: A lawyer called his client an "innocent bird" while defending him in court, claiming that he did not have the strength to slit the neck of a woman much bigger than himself.

"My 29-year-old Pakistani client, A.K., is short, skinny and so light. He is as weak as a bird and it would have been impossible for such an ‘innocent bird' to have killed such a huge woman," argued Obaid Ali Obaid when he defended his client in the Dubai Court of First Instance.

Prosecutors pressed for the death penalty against A.K., who was accused of committing a cold-blooded murder by slitting an alleged prostitute's neck three times and stealing Dh200 and two mobiles from her.

No intention

When he appeared in court, A.K. pleaded not guilty, claiming that he didn't intend to kill her.

His lawyer contended yesterday: "My client did not have any intention to steal or to kill the victim. She was a sex worker. My client went to her flat and he didn't even have sex with her. She stole his Dh6,000 and the money which he was accused of stealing belonged to him. We ask the court to modify the charge of premeditated murder to beating which led to death."

Obaid also handed Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout a written waiver that his client obtained from the parents of the Uzbek victim.

Prosecutors said A.K. planned to kill the woman, S.H., following a dispute between them. He purchased the medium-sized knife and took S.H. by surprise and attacked her from behind while he was in her flat.

Prosecutors said he intended to kill her because he slit her neck and robbed her.