Dubai: The Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday sentenced an Indian man to five years in jail after he was found guilty of assaulting his countryman to death over a heated argument.
The 33-year-old defendant and his countryman were consuming alcohol along with two others in Al Quoz area in December last year when they entered into an argument.
A 41-year-old Indian witness testified that they were drinking at the back of a parked pickup truck when a phone went missing, following which there was an argument. “They had a fight and the defendant kicked the victim on his chest and knocked him down. The defendant left and so did we. After two days, I returned and came to know that he had passed away,” the Indian witness said.
The owner of the pickup found the victim dead and alerted Dubai Police.
A policeman said the witness was arrested and he told them what had happened. “He was under the influence of alcohol. He claimed the defendant knocked the victim on the ground and stepped on his chest. He didn’t know that it caused the victim’s death,” a 31-year-old Emirati policeman said in records.
The defendant was arrested and he claimed that he assaulted the victim after the latter insulted him verbally. “He left the place and didn’t know the victim was dead until we arrested him,” the policeman added.
Dubai Public Prosecution charged the defendant with assault that led to death. The verdict will be subject to appeal within 15 days.
