Murdered woman's body found in a manhole

Dubai: A man has been arrested for allegedly murdering his girlfriend and dumping her body in a manhole.

Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of the Criminal Investigations Department of Dubai Police, said police swung into action after a missing persons report was filed at Al Rashidiya Police Station by the victim's friend on August 21.

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Police said the 30-year-old Kenyan suspect, W.A., confessed to Dubai Police investigators that he had strangled his girlfriend after a heated argument, but said he hadn't intended to kill her.

Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Humaid Al Merri, Director of the Criminal Investigations Division of Dubai Police, said the 26-year-old Chinese victim worked in sales and had been missing for two days when her friend reported the matter to police.

The friend told Dubai Police that the victim, Wang J., had called up to say she would be visiting a Chinese friend. Later, she called up to say she was going to meet her Kenyan friend.

"We limited our interrogation with nine people she met on the day she was reported missing on August 19. We had suspicions about the seventh suspect who gave conflicting statements from other witnesses in the case," Lt Col Al Merri said.

During initial interrogations, police said the man said he had met the woman at around 10pm and that they had dinner at restaurant at a gas station on the Dubai-Al Ain Road. That was the last time he saw her before she left for a business meeting, he had said.

The police then asked the man to bring his car.

"We noticed that he looked worried when he came to the police station with the car. Following interrogations he confessed that he had an intimate relationship with the Chinese victim around for three years — before he brought his wife and child to Dubai," Lt Col Al Merri said.

The accused told the police he had invited his lover out for dinner after which they sat in the car. He said the victim began arguing with him, demanding that he marry her.

Police said the suspect told the victim that he couldn't have two wives because he was Christian. Lt Col Al Merri said the accused said the victim threatened to tell police he had raped her.

Police said the heated argument motivated the man to strangle his girlfriend. The accused then disposed of the body in a manhole after hitting the Dubai-Al Ain Road. Dubai Police forensics sleuths later recovered the body.

The case has been referred to the Public Prosecution for further investigations.