Row over room lights leads to fatal stabbing

Man didn’t intend to kill roommate

Avisitor has gone on trial for stabbing his roommate to death after an argument over leaving the lights on while the victim was trying to sleep, a Dubai Court of First Instance heard yesterday.

The 37-year-old Pakistani defendant was staying with the victim and others in a room in a worker’s accommodation in Jebel Ali last October 1 when he awoke his roommate by turning the lights on and speaking loudly on the phone.

The Indian victim and other roommates asked the defendant to switch off the lights so that they could sleep, but after an intense argument the victim attacked the defendant, who stabbed the victim with a knife and fled.

A police patrol went to the workers accommodation and arrested the defendant who was still nearby. The victim was taken to hospital but died a few hours later.

The defendant confessed to assault but said he didn’t intend to kill his victim. He was charged with assault which led to death and for consuming alcohol.