Sentence upheld for man who stabbed friend to death at birthday party

Dubai Court of Cassation ruled that the Indian cook will have to serve the 15-year sentence for drunkenly stabbing his friend.

DUBAI // A drunk cook who killed his friend during a birthday party lost another appeal against a 15-year jail sentence on Monday.

S J, 29, was jailed at Dubai Criminal Court on December 17 last year after being found guilty of premeditated murder.

He had already lost his first appeal at the Dubai Court of Appeal before failing at the Dubai Court of Cassation on Monday.

The cook had stabbed his friend, Anil Akari, who was in his thirties, to death on December 16, 2013 during Akari’s morning birthday party.

“I did not realise what I was doing when I stabbed him. I was heavily drunk,” said the Indian man at Dubai Criminal Court in May last year.

“I had consumed too much alcohol and I was acting without any thinking, but I didn’t mean to kill him.”

Indian waiter R M, 35, had also been invited to the party. He said: “We arrived and about 10 other friends joined, including the defendant, who started drinking alcohol with Anil, For nearly two hours, the two remained drinking before the host insulted S J and used foul language to describe S J’s brother because he did not come to the party.”

The partygoer added that Akari repeatedly insulted the cook’s brother so he left the party and the rest sat to eat. However, he said S J returned shortly afterwards with a knife.

“He stabbed Anil and tried to stab him again but I stopped him and I got injured in the process,” said R M.

Others helped restrain the cook until police arrived.

The forensic report said the victim was stabbed twice but only one stab wound caused his death.

The cook was given an additional month in jail for drinking alcohol and he will be deported after completing his jail term.