Druggie jailed for murder bid over WhatsApp spat

abu dhabi — A drug addict, who had been convicted of stabbing his friend in an attempt to kill him over a WhatsApp argument, will be jailed for seven years.

The Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation had upheld the earlier rulings of the lower courts, which found the Emirati man guilty of attempted murder.

The man was also sentenced to two more years in jail and fined Dh50,000 for consuming hashish, amphetamine, methamphetamine and clonazepam and for possessing methamphetamine.

Court documents showed that the Emirati and two others had planned to attack the victim after the former had an argument with him on Whatsapp.

During the interrogations at the public prosecution and in court, the Emirati confessed to the crime, admitting that the victim was his friend and used to communicate with him via WhatsApp.

He said that on the day of the incident, he had an argument with the victim and asked him to meet him at a certain garage. As soon as the victim stepped out of his car, he ran towards him and stabbed him several times, he added.

“The victim sustained multiple injuries and fell on the ground, unconscious. The man, who was apparently in critical condition, was rushed to the hospital,” prosecutors said.

Prosecutors charged the man and his two accomplices with attempted murder and consuming and possessing drugs.

Both the Criminal Court of First Instance and the Appeal Court sentenced the Emirati to seven years in jail for attempted murder and another two years for consuming drugs.

His two accomplices were each sentenced to six months in jail and fined Dh10,000 each for abusing narcotics. They were, however, cleared of the attempted murder charge.

The group challenged the verdicts at Abu Dhabi’s highest court which had rejected their appeal and maintained the earlier rulings.