Dubai: A worker, who got drunk and stabbed a man to death after the latter had barged into their Christmas party, has been jailed for life.

The 36-year-old Sri Lankan worker was celebrating Christmas Eve with his brother and friends when his countryman came with two others to the party at their residence in December 2016.

The countryman brought up some previous disputes and had a heated argument before he cursed the 36-year-old.

The angered defendant then rushed inside the kitchen, brought a knife and stabbed the victim in the stomach and the latter died instantly.

The defendant remained at large for two days before he surrendered himself to the police.

On Wednesday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 36-year-old of intentionally murdering his countryman and drinking.

He pleaded not guilty and told the court that he acted in self-defence as it was the deceased, who had initiated the attack.

Presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi said the defendant will be deported after serving his jail term.

The defendant’s younger brother said the incident happened after the victim barged into the house while they were celebrating Christmas.

“My brother, I and ten friends were having Christmas dinner in our residence at Hor Al Anz. Suddenly, the suspect and two acquaintances crashed into the party. They indulged in a heated argument with my brother and cursed him … he got angry, went to the kitchen from where he brought a knife. When I tried to restrain him and convince him to calm down, he grabbed my neck and asked me not to interfere. My wife also grabbed me and asked me to stay away. Five minutes later, I heard my wife saying that my brother had stabbed the victim in his belly,” he testified.

A Sri Lankan friend testified that the accused stayed at his workplace in Sharjah for a few hours before he took from him Dh100 and left.

A policeman said the defendant turned himself in two days after the incident.

“During questioning, the defendant said he had a previous dispute with the victim, who used to be his flatmate. He claimed that once the deceased broke open his room’s door and stole his Dh200 … On the day of the incident, according to his statement, the accused said the victim cursed him and spoke badly about his family before he stabbed him,” the policeman said.

The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.