14 November 2007

Hotel stab murder

An Egyptian man stabbed an American tourist to death inside a room at a Dubai hotel, a court was told. The defendant, 26, is alleged to have repeatedly stabbed his victim following a prolonged drinking session in one of the hotel’s bedrooms.

The American victim was discovered naked, lying in a pool of blood, by a maid who had arrived to clean the room, the court was told. He had suffered multiple stab wounds to his back. At the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday the defendant denied murder and said it was he who had been threatened with a knife and that he was only defending himself in the ensuing fight.
He told the court that he had met the American at a bus stop and after a conversation had agreed to go with him to the hotel. He said a fight erupted after he refused to have sex with the tourist. He told the court that the victim threatened him with a knife and that a struggle had then broken out between them resulting in the man’s accidental death.
Police traced the attacker after watching CCTV footage taken from inside the hotel showing the men entering the premises together and then the defendant leaving alone. He was arrested by CID officers in Dubai and denies a charge of murder.
The trial has been adjourned until later this month to hear from witnesses and the defendant was kept in custody. Source

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