A drunk worker celebrating on Christmas Eve last year stabbed his compatriot to death when he arrived shouting and bawling, Dubai Criminal Court heard on Wednesday.

The Sri Lankan defendant, 36, was in festive mood, drinking and singing with his wife, brothers and a number of others from his homeland at his home in Al Muraqqabat when the man arrived at about 11pm yelling.

The defendant’s brother, 35, told prosecutors: “He used foul language, which provoked my brother. He then went to the kitchen and returned carrying a knife; he wanted to attack the man but I restrained him.”

“I thought it was over but moments later my wife ran towards me and told me that he stabbed the man right outside the house,” added the brother.

Police were called and they arrived with an ambulance but the victim was already dead.

“A woman next to the dead body told us what happened and gave us the stabber’s name and said that he fled,” testified a policeman, 40.

“He told us that he had previously fought with the victim because the latter broke into his room and stole cash from him and, on the night of the incident when the victim arrived and started insulting him, they engaged in a fight and he stabbed him but couldn’t remember where exactly he stabbed him,” added the policeman.

A medical report said the victim, whose age was not given, died due to one stab in the heart.

“He attacked me first and I was acting in self-defence,” said the defendant, who denied premeditated murder but confessed to consuming alcohol.

The next hearing will be on May 24 to appoint him a lawyer.

Source: thenational.ae