Trio who beat man to death get 3 years

Dubai: Three college students, a girl and two men, were sentenced to three years in jail each for scalding the private parts of a man with a heated knife, and beating him to death for allegedly raping the girl.

The Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday, convicted the three Nigerian students, 20-year-old girl, L.O., 21-year-old K.T. and 23-year-old A.S. of burning the private parts of their countryman and beating him to death. According to prosecutors, L.O., K.T. and A.S., beat the victim S.B. to death in an act of revenge for having sex with the girl against her will.

Presiding Judge Mohammad Jamal Kamel handed the two men an additional three months in jail each for consuming liquor. A.S. was acquitted of dishonouring the victim. "The defendants will be deported following the completion of their jail terms," said Presiding Judge Kamel.

Revenge

When the girl appeared in court, she pleaded not guilty and claimed: "I did not take revenge by doing so." K.T. and A.S. also refuted the accusation of beating the victim to death as they defended themselves.

Court records said the incident happened after the defendants, the victim and some friends, partied at Burj Khalifa. They then left to go to a friend's flat. L.O. claimed during questioning that she woke up and realised that S.B. had raped her as she was drunk.

Prosecutors charged the defendants with beating to death and molesting S.B. by undressing him and burning his private parts.

Chief Prosecutor Khaled Al Zarouni, Head of Bur Dubai Prosecution, has urged the implementation of the toughest punishment.

Dubai Police's forensic doctor said the victim succumbed due to internal bleeding in the skull. The doctor said the victim fell to the floor after the brutal beating and hit his head. S.B.'s body was discovered in a flat in Tecom, Jebel Ali. Primary interrogations led to the defendants' arrest.

The primary judgment remains subject to appeal within 15 days.