Cleaner jailed for stabbing receptionist

DUBAI // A cleaner at a medical clinic who stabbed a receptionist who accused him of theft was today sentenced to a year in prison.

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance also fined RB, a 36-year-old Indian, Dh10,000 and ordered the confiscation of the knife.

On June 23 a patient who did not have the funds to pay for his check up left his work ID card with the receptionist MA, a 25-year-old Pakistani, as a guarantee until he returned to pay the money.

However, the patient did not return and the card went missing from the receptionist's desk. "I entered the doctor's office who told me I would bear responsibility for the lost ID," said the receptionist.

He then told the doctor that it must have been stolen by the cleaner. He said that the cleaner was the only one who had seen where the ID was kept and that he was alone in the clinic during midday closing hours from 1-4pm.

The court was told that the cleaner overheard the conversation and began punching the receptionist, who pushed him away and went to the doctor's office. The cleaner then followed him into the office, took a knife from his pocket and stabbed him in the chest.

The cleaner denied a charge of attempted murder, saying he was acting only in self defence. He said the receptionist told him he was a Pakistani thief and terrorist.

The doctor, PR, rushed into his office after hearing the receptionist's screams and saw a 2cm wound in the receptionist's abdomen. He then called police.

"The defendant had thrown away the knife and left the clinic by the time the police arrived," said the doctor, a 46-year-old from India.

He added that the cleaner had complained to him that the receptionist insulted his honour.

salamir@thenational.ae