The businessman denied the charge claiming he did not mean to kill the victim.

A businessman, who allegedly slapped and beat his compatriot girlfriend to death while being heavily drunk, faced a premeditated murder charge at the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

Prosecutors accused the 40-year-old Lebanese man of repeatedly beating the victim in her 40s, causing her multiple injuries, and skull fracture with severe bleeding. 

He denied the charge claiming he did not mean to kill the victim.

The man has been referred to the Court of Misdemeanors on the charge of consuming liquor without a permit.

The victim's close friend and workmate raised an alarm on July 25 last year after she went to her flat in the Dubai Motor City and found her body covered with blood.  "She did not report to work which made the manager request me to check on her. I went with a friend to her place after learning that her sister could not reach her either. The security guard led us outside her flat. The door was open and everything looked normal. However, as we entered the bedroom, we found her lying on the bed. We thought she was sleeping until we saw the blood," said the 28-year-old Lebanese saleswoman.

The building security guard, an Egyptian, recounted how he spotted the defendant walking out of the flat at 3.30am. "He was very drunk. He carried two plastic bags that contained a glass bottle, shampoo, a detergent and a towel. He came back few minutes later saying that he forgot his car keys at the victim's flat."

A police lieutenant said Al Barsha police station received a report about a woman, found dead in circumstances suggesting foul play, at 4pm on July 25. "Blood was all over her place. Some had been apparently cleaned up."

The lieutenant added that after talking to the security guard, they gathered information about the victim's boyfriend who had spent the night of July 24-25 with her. "We learned he was a frequent visitor. Upon his arrest, he said he arrived at her place at 10pm and partied together. At some point, they had a quarrel and she slapped him, he claimed. The man confessed he slapped her repeatedly until she bled from her nose and then in the bedroom. He claimed he left after she did not let him take her to the hospital."  

According to the forensic report, the cause of death was brain injury and haemorrhage resulting from severe beating.

A mental evaluation report issued from a hospital showed that the defendant suffers mental disorder that is associated with a feeling of anxiety, pressure and fear which can cause lack of sleep. However, the disorder does not exempt him from being responsible for his actions. The medication he was on does not affect his perception abilities.

The trial will continue on May 21.

Share This Post