Labourer killed his colleague over love affair

ABU DHABI// A Pakistani labourer and his friend stabbed his former male lover to death after he had broken off their relationship, the Criminal Court heard on Monday.

The dead man’s cousin in Pakistan became suspicious when the victim did not call his family, and his body was discovered six months later when the area where the killers buried him was being excavated.

Despite the decomposed state of the body, police were able to identify him by comparing his DNA with his cousin’s.

The killer had been having a homosexual relationship with the victim, one of his colleagues in their labour camp. When they broke up, the victim refused to accept it and kept calling and text messaging him.

His former lover arranged a meeting in the desert near Al Samha, and brought his friend along with him. When the victim arrived, they stabbed him three times, before burying him alongside his mobile phone.

After the victim disappeared, although the police were informed, it was assumed that he had transferred to another company.

After his body was eventually found police tracked down a third colleague through the dead man’s mobile phone. He confessed that although he did not witness the crime, the murderers had told him of their actions.

Both killers had since fled the country, so were found guilty in absentia and sentenced to three years each.

The victim’s family waived the right for the death penalty in exchange for a blood money settlement of Dh200,000 each from the two killers.

hdajani@thenational.ae