A teenage boy died after being punched in the head during a street football match in Ajman, police revealed on Monday.
The 16-year-old Yemeni boy was allegedly trying to break up a fight between three players when he was hit.
The fight broke out in December and police were called to Al Hamidiya where they found the boy unconscious.
He was rushed to Khalifa bin Zayed Hospital where he was admitted to the intensive care unit but died a few hours later.
Police investigations revealed the boy was playing football with friends on a sandy patch of a land in their neighbourhood when two members of the opposing team began fighting with one of the members of his team.
The boy stood between the players in an attempt to end the fight when a 16-year-old Emirati punched him in the head.
During police questioning, the Emirati accused said he did not mean to kill the boy and that he had never seen him before.
"I have no problems with him, this was the first time we meet after my friends asked me to join them in a friendly football match," he told police.
He said he was defending himself against the others when he accidentally punched the boy.
Other players told police that the defendant repeatedly punched the deceased on the head until he fell unconscious.
Two other boys, an Emirati and a Yemeni, aged 16 and 17, are also accused of fighting.
The case was referred to public prosecution which will determine charges pending investigations.
A medical report determining the cause of death has yet to be released.
