Cleaner accused of killing Arab businessman

Police charged a young cleaner in connection with the lethal stabbing in Dubai.

DUBAI // An Arab businessman was stabbed to death in his Dubai flat by a young cleaner who intended to rob him, police said yesterday. The victim, identified as A A, was stabbed at least six times in the chest, shoulders and hip on Friday. He was found in a pool of blood in his bedroom after a worried friend called police. The victim, aged 52 and single, was from an undisclosed neighbouring Gulf state and had been living in the UAE for two years. A 20-year-old Bangladeshi has been charged in connection with the killing. Police said the man, identified as N K B, had met the victim 15 days before the attack and had been working illegally for him as a cleaner. N K B is alleged to have planned to carry out the attack on his second visit to the victim's flat. "The suspect had planned to kill the victim [whom] he believed to be wealthy," said Col Khalil Ibrahim al Mansouri, the chief of the crime unit at the criminal investigation department at Dubai police. "He attacked him with a knife he obtained from the victim's house and fatally stabbed him multiple times," Col Mansouri said. "He then carried out an extensive search through the victim's belongings in search of valuables, but didn't find anything," he added. Four suitcases were cut open, but the only items stolen were a razor, camera, an empty wallet and a kitchen knife, he said. Police said the attacker was injured when the victim fought back in a desperate attempt to save his life and the assailant's blood had been found at the scene. N K B was arrested 16 hours later in a nearby flat. Col Mansouri warned residents against hiring illegal workers and allowing them inside their homes. "People should never invite anyone who is illegal to work for them," he said. Although the crime rate in the city has risen in the past few years, Dubai remains one of the safest cities in the world, according to police. In 2007, there were 22 murders in Dubai. So far this year there have been 14, including the murder of the Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim, who was killed in her flat last month. @Email:[e-mail]