Clinic cleaner gets one year in jail for trying to kill workmate

Dubai: A cleaner was sentenced to a year in jail after being found guilty of trying to kill his co-worker at a clinic.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 36-year-old Indian defendant, R.B., of attempted murder after he stabbed 25-year-old Pakistani M.A. with a knife twice.

"The accused will also pay [a] Dh10,000 fine," said Presiding Judge Mohammad Jamal Kamel when he pronounced yesterday's judgment in Courtroom Nine.

When R.B. appeared in court earlier this month, he pleaded not guilty and said he was acting in self defence after the victim attacked him first. He said he did not plan to kill M.A.

According to the arraignment sheet, prosecutors said R.B. intentionally stabbed M.A. with a knife and tried to kill him. The accused provided the court with a written waiver he obtained from M.A.

The incident occurred after one patient left his labour card at the clinic as he went to look for money to pay for treatment. M.A. left the card on a counter and went out for lunch. When he came back, the card was missing. M.A. was told by the doctor that he would have to pay for a new labour card for the patient.

"I told the doctor that R.B. was present and cleaning at the clinic at the time when the card was lost... Suddenly the defendant stormed into the doctor's room and called me bad names. Then he attacked me," the victim told prosecutors. Prosecution records said the two exchanged blows before the defendant stabbed M.A.

The primary judgment remains subject to appeal within 15 days.