Killer loses his appeal against life sentence

DUBAI // A labourer who stabbed his friend to death over a Dh500 debt had his life sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal on Monday.

Last December, S J, 28, from Nepal, was found guilty of the murder of compatriot Dadandra Rayee by the Criminal Court.

The court heard that on May 17 last year the pair had a fight over the repayment of the debt.

Records showed that S J confessed during police and prosecution investigations. He said he had known the victim for three years as they worked together at the same company.

Three months before the stabbing, he said he lent Rayee Dh500 to help him solve a financial problem.

“He was supposed to give it back a month later but he didn’t and he kept stalling and trying to avoid me,” said S J in records.

Then on May 17, the two had a chance meeting at a car park near their accommodation and started drinking alcohol together. “He had been drinking for an hour before I met him,” said the killer.

S J said he asked him about the money but was told by Rayee that he would not repay him.

He said that Rayee then pushed him over, so he went to a nearby supermarket a bought a knife.

He then returned to where the victim was still drinking and confronted him about the debt.

“I asked him about my money again and he gave me the same answer, so I stabbed him in the neck then in the stomach,” said S J. He threw the knife next to the man’s body then went to the security guard and told him of the incident.

M K, 34, a Bangladeshi security guard, said that the man came to him with blood all over his hands. “He told me he killed someone but without saying who, so I called police,” he said.

The court ordered the deportation of S J after he completes his jail term.