Man battered to death over Dh11,000 debt

DUBAI // A man was bludgeoned to death at a villa construction site in Deira over a debt, police said yesterday.

Investigators said AK killed AI, both from unspecified Asian countries, after AI refused to repay Dh11,000.

Police in the Al Safiya district were summoned to the scene early on October 3, said Lt Col Ahmed Al Merri, the director of criminal investigations at Dubai Police.

AI's body was found lying on a mattress.

Preliminary investigations showed that he was killed in his sleep and evidence showed a second person had been present.

Police found a close friend of AK and placed him under surveillance, although officials did not explain how they learnt that AK was connected to the crime.

"On October 5, we followed the suspect's friend, who was headed on Sheikh Zayed Road towards Abu Dhabi," Lt Col Al Merri said. AK's friend went to a labour camp in Mohammed bin Zayed City, about 28 kilometres south-east of the capital.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai police officers raided the camp and arrested AK, who police described as being in a state of shock.

AK confessed and said his motive was AI's refusal to repay the Dh11,000. AK told the police that when he asked AI for the money, he was assaulted.

"He waited for him to fall asleep, then he picked up a concrete block and smashed the left side of his head with it," Lt Col Al Merri said.

AK has been referred to the Dubai public prosecution to face a charge of premeditated murder.

amustafa@thenational.ae