Man knifed friend to death after drunken prank goes wrong

Worker jailed for murder of man who threw his clothes from a balcony

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A construction worker has been jailed for stabbing a friend to death as a drunken prank turned to tragedy.

The 37-year-old Indian knifed his compatriot after a booze-fuelled row sparked by the victim throwing his clothing off a balcony.

The defendant denied a premeditated murder charge at Dubai Criminal Court, with prosecutors told he acted in self defence after the 50-year-old deceased had struck him with a frying pan.

The incident took place at a labour accommodation in Al Muhaisnah, Dubai, on March 30.

“We both were drunk and he attacked me first,” he told judges.

The pair were among a group of friends drinking alcohol in the early hours of the morning when violence broke out.

“The defendant got upset and both of them started arguing,” said a fellow Indian, 27, who witnessed the attack.

Both men exchanged insults before the victim began to wave a frying pan and the defendant pulled out a knife from under his bed and stabbed him three times in the abdomen.

Police were swiftly alerted.

CCTV footage captured the killer hiding the knife under his shirt before discarding it in the wash room.

He was arrested the same day and the murder weapon was found stashed behind a sink.

During questioning, he said he did not mean to end the victim’s life.

“Witnesses testified that the deceased hit the defendant on the head with a frying pan after which he pulled out a knife and stabbed him,” said a policeman, 33.

The defendant was found guilty of murder and will be deported at the end of his prison sentence.