DUBAI // A disgruntled driver who tried to kill his 71-year-old former employer after being fired was sentenced to five years in jail on Monday.
Syrian M D, 30, waited in a car park for his employer, Jordanian A K, and then attacked him and tried to strangle him.
In May, M D denied the charge of attempted murder and told Dubai Criminal Court the act was one of self-defence after A K had assaulted him.
Records showed that M D’s employment contract was terminated, after which he had asked for his job back several times.
A K had rejected his requests.
At about 9pm on August 10 last year, M D waited until A K left his office and headed to his car in the building’s car park.
“I fired M D because he was not committed to his job.
“Then he started coming to my office every once in a while requesting financial assistance and to get his old job back,” A K said.
“I was getting into my car when he came with his hands behind his back then demanded I reinstate him immediately, which I refused.”
M D then wrapped a wire around A K’s neck and tried to choke him. But he resisted fiercely, poking his attacker’s eyes and punching him in the face until he managed to escape his grip.
Policeman A M, 37, said M D had followed the victim from his Ajman home to his Dubai office.
“When he failed to strangle him, M D pulled out a sharp metal object from his pocket and attacked the victim, repeating that he wanted to kill A K even if he was sentenced to death for it,” the officer said. He added that A K offered M D Dh2,000 to stop the attack, but he refused.
M D then stole his victim’s two wallets and mobile phone and fled the scene in his Mercedes-Benz.
He then parked the vehicle around the corner and took his own car home.
The defendant changed his clothes at home and put them in a bag along with the metal object and the electrical wire used in the attack. He then threw the bag down a sewer hole.
A medical report stated A K suffered severe injuries to his face, which left him with an 8 per cent permanent disability.
M D will be deported after serving his jail term.
salamir@thenational.ae