Worker gets 15-year jail term for strangling roommate to death

dubai — A construction worker, who strangled his roommate to death with a scarf following a verbal brawl, was sentenced to 15 years in jail on Sunday.

The Court of First Instance found the 23-year-old Indian man guilty of a premeditated murder charge. He earlier pleaded not guilty, claiming they only had a fight. However, he admitted to stealing Dh 2,000 from the victim and was given an additional 3 months in jail on a theft charge.

As per the court decision, he will be deported after serving his jail time. At the labour accommodation in Al Muhaisnah, Al Qusais, where the murder took place, police found the victim’s body lying face down.

The police arrested the accused around 9 am on January 20, 2016, one day after the incident, outside his accommodation.

When questioned, the defendant admitted to killing the victim, claiming a misunderstanding between them. “He claimed he had given the victim Dh350 after the latter told him he could heal his sick wife using sorcery. The defendant’s wife had burned herself in India and was being treated at hospital,” a police lieutenant said.

About a week later, they gave the defendant’s father a small piece of cloth containing ashes. His wife was told to mix the ashes in water and drink it. “When that did not work out for her, the accused started having doubts that the victim was fooling him”.

At 5.50am on the day of the incident, they had a verbal brawl when the victim came to his room and asked him why he was still sleeping and did not go to work.

After the victim provoked him and pushed him down, the defendant put a scarf around the victim’s neck and dragged him to the floor, when the latter hit his head. He then strangled the victim and left him motionless. He then searched the victim’s closet and stole some cash.