Murder suspect held within 10 hours

A man was arrested yesterday 10 hours after allegedly murdering a friend in Mussafah Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi.

The Asian, identified as B.A., was arrested by police who also discovered Etisalat telephone cards worth Dh81,000 in his possession.

According to a police statement the suspect, working in a bakery in Mussafah, was arrested during an investigation to search for another Asian worker, H.M., who went missing with the telephone cards.

The statement said a shopkeeper in the area reported as missing one of his employees, H.M., who was sent to purchase telephone cards from Etisalat worth Dh81,000.

During the investigation, police found that the 35-year-old H.M. was last seen with his compatriot, identified as B.A.

Police arrested B.A., who allegedly admitted murdering his friend H.M. According to police, the accused spotted H.M. in front of the Etisalat building carrying the phone cards.

He persuaded H.M. to go to his apartment to help him write a letter to his family. In the apartment, B.A. allegedly murdered H.M. and sealed his body in a plastic bag before escaping with the cards.