Dubai: An unemployed man has been jailed for life for luring his friend to a residential area, where he repeatedly hacked him with a sword till he died.

In January 2018, the Emirati, 23, called his countryman friend and asked to meet him in Oud Al Muteena.

Unaware of the trap laid for him, the friend went to the agreed spot, where the accused took out a 50cm-long sword and stabbed him repeatedly to death.

An off-duty policeman happened to be driving back home, when he saw the defendant from afar repeatedly attacking the victim with the sword.

Once the victim fell motionless, the killer jumped on his quad bike parked nearby and drove away quickly.

Meanwhile, the policeman rushed to the aid of the victim, who stood up and tried to walk but fell again after taking a few steps.

The off-duty cop then called for an ambulance and police backup support.

The stabbed person was rushed to hospital, but he succumbed to his wounds.

On Wednesday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 23-year-old accused of premeditated murder, although he had pleaded not guilty.

According to Wednesday’s ruling, presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi also convicted the defendant of consuming amphetamine and methamphetamine.

In a previous hearing, the court referred the defendant to a committee of specialists that assessed his sanity, and they concluded that he was sane and responsible for his actions.

The reason for the assault remain undisclosed.

The Emirati off-duty policeman testified that he saw the accused stabbing the victim at 11.30pm. “I had just dropped my cousin to his place and was heading home, when I saw the victim being brutally stabbed by the defendant. I witnessed the attacker repeatedly stabbing the victim, who tried to protect himself with his arm. The attacks were very strong and severe … I saw the deceased being stabbed in his chest, head and arms. I stopped instantly and called the police. The accused fled on his quad bike. The victim was still conscious and when I asked him if he knew the attacker, he said no,” he said.

A police lieutenant said the killer turned himself in shortly after the assault, unaware that the victim had died.

The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.