Dubai, Jan 15 (IANS): A 28-year-old Indian man has been sentenced to death by a court in Dubai for murdering a fellow national last year.

According to Dubai Criminal Court records the defendant, identified by the initials of his name NS, had loaned the victim 8,500 dirhams (around $2300) to be paid back in three instalments, The National reported Wednesday.

On May 22 last year the two men met at the defendant’s apartment at Fareej Nassir close to the Rihab Hotel in Deira area here to discuss the debt.

A witness, identified as KA, said an argument broke out between the two and they started to fight.

NS then pushed the victim to the floor, picked up a rope and wrapped it around the man’s neck.

“He kept pulling the rope until the man’s movement stopped,” KA said.

An Indian security guard, identified as AT, who was on duty at the building, said he saw a carton box near some garbage bins but did not pay much attention to it.

“When I saw the carton was still there the next morning I was curious so I opened it and found a dead body. I then called police,” he said.

After police found a finger print of NS from the spot, they arrested him and three other men.

The court heard that the footage taken from the hotel’s surveillance camera showed NS carrying the carton box along with the three other men.

A policeman, MM, testified that the three men who were arrested told him that they had been stopped by NS who asked them to help carry a heavy box which he claimed contained utensils and glass items.

“One of them said he was offered 50 dirhams to help carry the box while another said he was given 25 dirhams,” said the policeman.

The three were released after being questioned.

NS was arrested May 23, two days before he was due to fly back to India.

The verdict remains subject to appeal within 15 days.