Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A youth implicated in a bid to murder a student following a dispute over a girl was referred to the Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday.

The unemployed Arab defendant, 19, with the help of youngsters referred to the Juveniles Court stabbed the Emirati student, 17, in Downtown Dubai at around 10pm on April 20, prosecutors told the court’s jury.

The murder bid fell flat after an ambulance rushed him to hospital. The defendant did not enter a plea against the attempted murder charge. Prosecutors sought a strict punishment. A verdict is expected on Oct.13.

On the record, the student narrated that he was walking along with his friend inside a Dubai mall when a man approached them asking to talk. Upon the man’s request, they stepped out of the mall towards its gate.

They were met by a group of nearly six men asking the student about which school he attended. His friend, anticipating trouble, pulled him away but one of the men called upon him to resume a one-on-one discussion.

Some of the men left leaving three behind (including the defendant). The student went to where they were. Two of them pushed him several times. The defendant suddenly pulled out a knife from inside his pocket.

“He stabbed me in the waist,” the student complained, adding that he escaped from them and ran towards the corridor leading to a nearby hotel. He collapsed. Police arrived. An ambulance rushed him to hospital. His friend gave a similar account and said, “I had pulled him away to avoid problems but one of them called him back. That person pushed him. I stood between them. The defendant pulled out a knife and stabbed him.”

An Emirati sergeant aid surveillance footage helped identify three attackers including the defendant. Police arrested them in Al Quoz, frisked the defendant and found him with the knife he admitted to have used.

During police and prosecution interrogations, they revealed the dispute was about a girl. The defendant acknowledged stabbing the student and others acknowledged pushing him.