Dubai court upholds life sentence for man in Jumeirah murder case

Dubai: The Dubai Court of Appeal has upheld a life sentence and deportation order against a man convicted of intentionally killing his friend during a heated argument at a residence in the Jumeirah area, Al Khaleej newspaper reported. 

The ruling confirms an earlier verdict issued by the Court of First Instance, sentencing the defendant to life imprisonment followed by deportation upon completion of his term.

According to court records, the case dates back to October 2022, when a woman alerted police to a murder inside an apartment in Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). 

The woman told investigators that she had visited the defendant in the hospital earlier that day. He later asked her to check on a mutual friend at his apartment.

Upon arriving, she discovered the victim lying motionless on the floor, covered with blood and bedsheets. She immediately reported the incident to authorities.

A police officer testified that investigators found evidence of a violent altercation and launched a search for the suspect, who had left the hospital and was not at his residence. 

The officer said the suspect’s father was called in for questioning and revealed that his son’s behavior had changed noticeably in recent weeks. 

The father also told police he had been in contact with his other son abroad to arrange the defendant’s quick departure from the UAE.

According to the father’s statement, the victim had visited the defendant’s home on the day of the crime, and a severe dispute broke out between them. 

After leaving the house, the father said, the defendant later called to admit that he had assaulted his friend, who had died, and expressed his intention to flee the country.

Police arrested the suspect at a hotel in another emirate as he packed his belongings, reportedly preparing to leave with the help of his brother. 

He was referred to the Dubai Public Prosecution, which charged him with premeditated murder. The Dubai Criminal Court found him guilty and sentenced him to life in prison. The Court of Appeal has now upheld that ruling in full.