Dubai court upholds three-year jail term for man who killed roommate

Chinese resident banged victim's head against bed after dispute at their home

The row broke out after the man refused to let his compatriot sleep in their room as he was drunk, Dubai Criminal Court was told

A man jailed for three years for killing his roommate after a row at their home has had his sentence upheld by a Dubai court.

The Chinese resident, identified only as XH in court records, banged the victim's head against a bed at their shared accommodation in the emirate in September.

Dubai Criminal Court was told during the initial hearing in June that an argument broke out after the defendant refused to let his compatriot sleep inside their room as he was drunk.

Other residents broke up the altercation and asked the victim to sleep in the hall, which he agreed to do.

He was found dead the following morning and police were alerted.

“The deceased was under the influence of alcohol and the accused was asking him to leave the room. The deceased’s head banged the iron bed during the fight,” said a witness.

The defendant told judges he did not intend to kill the victim.

He told judges that he did not intent to kill the victim following a fight between the two.

The man was convicted of causing death by assault by the lower court and was to be deported after serving his sentence.

Dubai's Court of Appeal upheld this verdict on Wednesday.

A friend who the defendant had called to help him leave the country was sentenced to a month in jailed – to be followed by deportation – in the previous hearing for assisting an offender.

The appeal court upheld this sentence but removed the deportation order.

The ages of those involved in the case were not disclosed.