Dubai: The suspected killer of a Lebanese woman, whose body was found in her flat, was arrested by Dubai Police within 18 hours of the crime, Gulf News has learnt.

The suspect, also Lebanese, is currently being interrogated by the Public Prosecution.

The suspect, said to be her boyfriend, was apprehended in record time thanks to police’s alertness, police said.

On Friday, her workmate went to check on her as she had not been answering phone calls. The workmate found the door open and the flat in a state of chaos and then she found the woman’s body.


Lebanese media reports identified the victim as Dubai-based Arlette Obeid, who was found dead in her flat, noting that she had been reportedly killed over a controversial Facebook comment that she had posted.

The suspect was referred by police to the Public Prosecution for further investigation in a case reported to have happened over a personal dispute, according to a senior prosecutor who spoke to Gulf News on condition of anonymity.

“Prosecutors are currently questioning the suspect and he remains in provisional detention pending investigation. The motives behind the murder are still being investigated as more witnesses are to be heard.

“However it’s believed to have happened due to personal disputes since the suspect knew the victim. No official charges have been pressed against the suspect pending further enquiries and forensic examination reports,” the senior prosecutor said.

Lt-Colonel Faisal Al Qasim, head of the Dubai Police Media Department, confirmed the incident to Gulf News and said the suspect has admitted to killing the victim whom he described as his former girlfriend.

“The incident happened on Thursday. The woman welcomed her friend, who is a resident in another emirate, into her flat in Dubai. A heated argument occurred between the two during which he punched her and broke her nose, causing internal bleeding that led to her death,” Lt-Col Al Qasim said.

The suspect left the flat immediately. On Friday, her workmate went to check on her as she had not been answering phone calls.

The workmate found the door open and the flat in a state of chaos and then she found the woman’s body. The workmate reported the matter to the police.

“Within 18 hours, the suspect was arrested. He said that he was under the influence of alcohol and didn’t intend to kill her. He said that he couldn’t control himself and physically assaulted her without expecting her to die,” Lt-Col Al Qasim said.

In a televised documentary, Lebanon’s Al Jadeed TV channel said the victim was alleged to have been murdered over the Facebook post in which she claimed to have been back-stabbed by a person close to her.

According to the report, the incident was recorded as a murder based on crime scene investigation and forensic examination findings.

Meanwhile, Lebanese Ambassador to the UAE Fouad Dandan was quoted as telling the channel that Obeid had been murdered and the suspect apprehended in less than 24 hours.

Lt-Col Al Qasim said there has been a significant drop in worrying crimes like murders in Dubai.

“Dubai Police officers have the ability to solve any crime in the city in a record time. We have recorded a massive drop in the number of murders but still some incidents like this case happen over personal disputes,” he added.