An inmate serving life in prison for killing a woman in 2001 will be freed after a Dubai court granted him early release on Sunday.
The Indian watchman, 51, was sentenced to life in jail a year after he strangled a woman and stole her necklace and mobile phone.
According to court records, the defendant had lent money to the Indian victim, who lived in the building in Naif where he worked, but when he asked for his money, she refused to pay him back.
The man tried to snatch the necklace from around her neck but she pushed him away, angering him. He then strangled her and stole her belongings before calling police to report her death.
The man told police to report that he had only found her body after visiting her flat with two other workers.
"We questioned all three of them about their reasons for going into the apartment, then suspected him. When we confronted him with our suspicion, he admitted to killing her and handed us the victim's mobile phone, " said an Emirati lieutenant, 44.
After serving 15 years in prison, the convict applied for early release in February last year and presented the court with a good conduct certificate issued by Dubai's Punitive and Reformative Establishments, but the court rejected his plea.
As per regulations, he had to wait one year before submitting another plea — which he did last week. He told judges that he had served 16 years in jail during which he changed and felt remorse for what he had done.
He provided the court with another good conduct certificate and a recommendation for release issued by Dubai Central Jail's management based on his good behaviour.
On Sunday, the court granted the man early release.
