After almost three and a half years of deliberation, the Criminal Court in Dubai unanimously convicted an unemployed Arab man to death for the murder of his ex-girlfriend following a tumultuous love affair.
The lawsuit details that the accused resembled the victim at her residence, waited behind the emergency ladder door, and gathered various tools such as a knife, rope, hammer, plastic bond, stick, and adhesive tape. Upon the victim's arrival, he ambushed her, immobilized her, and fatally attacked her with a knife at the base of her neck. The Public Prosecution in Dubai has referred the case to the Criminal Court for premeditated murder charges.
According to the prosecution's investigations, the murder followed a series of unusual events stemming from a tumultuous relationship between the accused and the victim, including threats, detention, and a plea for forgiveness.
The accused confessed to the public prosecutor that he committed the crime. He stated that he met the victim in a restaurant in 2017 and provided her with financial assistance. They traveled together, shared the rent of her apartment, and he visited her frequently from another emirate. They maintained a positive relationship for two years.
He mentioned seeing pictures of her in April 2019 on a dating app, which made him upset and caused their relationship to end. Despite his family's encouragement to move on, he struggled due to his strong feelings for her. The breakup took a toll on him, affecting both his work and personal life, ultimately leading to him leaving his job.
In January of the following year, he visited her at her workplace and their relationship resumed. They started dating again. She informed him that she had changed the title of her residence to a different residential complex without specifying the name of the tower or apartment, which made him suspicious. He became irritated upon seeing her on the dating app once more. Despite his attempts to distance himself, she persisted in maintaining their relationship. However, it went through various ups and downs until she messaged him in April 2020, expressing her desire to end their association. He inquired if she was seeing other people, and she was surprised to learn that she was involved with someone else.
The defendant expressed anger and plainly stated to her: "He was linked to those you desire abroad, but I do not wish to see you with anyone here." She became enraged and threatened to involve the police. In an attempt to resolve the situation, he visited her at her office, but she adamantly refused to reconcile.
On June 10, 2020, he received a surprising call requesting a loan of 55,000 dirhams. Despite being separated from his job due to his strong affection for her, he disclosed having 30,000 dirhams and transferred the amount to her without knowing the reason for the loan. He hoped this gesture would pave the way for their reconciliation, and later inquired about it. She was involved with someone else and eventually admitted to it after multiple attempts to avoid the question. This caused him to explode in anger and insult her. As a result, she stopped responding to him. She only replied to return the money she had borrowed from him before cutting off all communication, which made him react irrationally.
During the investigation, the accused displayed emotional distress by searching the parking lots of every building in the residential complex where the victim lived to find her car. He successfully located her apartment by observing a pattern of her leaving shoes outside. He then searched the shoes for a key, which he found, and proceeded to make a copy of it. And restore it to its original position.
During his confession to the Public Prosecution, the accused admitted to entering the woman's apartment without her knowledge to observe her living conditions. He observed that she did not have a mirror for styling her hair, so he purchased one for her. He then attempted to meet with her to give her the mirror, but she objected to his unauthorized entry. He reassured her that he had not entered her apartment and asked her to return the mirror, but she declined.
He observed her leaving her apartment in an evening dress one day, but she did not return for two days. Realizing she was in a relationship, he became upset when contacted by someone claiming to be from the police, warning him to stay away from her. This angered him greatly, leading him to acquire tools for committing a crime. He then went to her residence, entered her apartment, and concealed himself inside. Upon her return, he ambushed her behind the door. When she tried to flee, he seized her, strangled her, and bound her hands. While restraining her to prevent her from screaming, I sat on the bed and urged her to reveal the individuals who were acquainted with her during his absence. She disclosed the identity of the person who had threatened him, mentioning that the individual was from a different emirate.
He accused her of orchestrating a threat against him, leading to a confrontation where he brandished a knife. After a tense moment, he calmed down, returned the weapon, and suggested she involve the police. Later, he unexpectedly returned to her apartment, cleaned it, bought her gifts, and left a note granting her freedom.
He mentioned that his girlfriend contacted the police, resulting in him being summoned. He was required to sign an agreement not to harm or approach her. However, he continued to observe her and attempt to enter the apartment, but was unable to do so as she had changed the locks. This left him feeling frustrated and angry.
On the day of the crime, the witness observed the perpetrator hiding behind the emergency staircase and saw the victim arriving at the apartment. Before entering, the witness texted her sister via WhatsApp. Upon noticing the open stair door, she sensed someone's presence and went to investigate, at which point the perpetrator left.
He approached her and attempted to prevent her from screaming, using a knife to intimidate her. He expressed his desire to enter her apartment, but she declined. As she resisted, he led her to the emergency staircase where they both fell. A stranger attempted to open the door, prompting the perpetrator to push it with his right hand to stop them. The victim continued to resist, resulting in an injury to his finger. He then proceeded to stab her twice in the neck before fleeing the scene.
He described descending a ladder to the sixth floor, taking an elevator to his car, then returning to find her covered in blood. He kissed her head, but slipped on the blood while leaving, causing a security guard and a woman to witness his fall. Despite encountering the police, the individual successfully made it to his car, visited his friend's house to change clothes, and then drove to a nearby mall to rest. Upon noticing an investigative vehicle nearby, he surrendered to the authorities and explained the situation. His narrative concludes with mortality.
