An electrician has been accused of battering his co-worker’s head with an iron pipe because he refused to allow him to take an early break.
The 29-year-old Indian electrician, J.S., was said to have attacked his countryman, Y.B., and hit him with the one-metre pipe five times, when they fought on July 31.
Prosecutors charged the defendant with assaulting his co-worker, causing him a five per cent permanent disability.
“I am not guilty. It is true that we had a fight… but it was his mistake. The plaintiff fell and hurt himself,” said J.S. before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.
The suspect claimed they had a heated argument, which developed into a fight. He said before presiding judge Mohammad Jamal the victim fell and hit an iron pipe that was on the ground.
Y.B. testified the suspect attacked him during their midday break around 1pm when he was resting.
“It was 11.30am when the suspect came and asked to take an early break while working on the construction site at Jumeirah Palm. Our daily break starts at 12.30pm and he wanted to leave earlier. When I prevented him we had a heated argument and the supervisor came and told J.S. that he would move him to another location after the break. Around 1pm while I was napping, the suspect came and kicked my leg. When I woke up, he attacked me with the pipe… he beat me five times. The first time he pounded my leg, then my head and I felt dizzy… the third time he beat my arm and I felt that it was fractured. Then he beat my finger and again my head. I bled from my head meanwhile our co-workers intervened and stopped the assailant,” Y.B. told prosecutors.
An Indian witness testified the defendant assaulted the plaintiff because he refused to allow him to take an early midday break.
A ruling will be heard on January 12.
