Dubai: A man will spend a life term in prison for the murder of his compatriot after he confessed he stabbed him for no reason.

Records said the 35-year-old Indian victim pulled the knife from his stomach after 22-year-old M.S., knifed him. He died after 37 days in hospital.

The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced M.S. to 25 years in jail (a life sentence under UAE law) for premeditated murder.

M.S told the court earlier he did not know why he had stabbed his compatriot worker. M.S., who was arrested at the scene of the crime in Ras Al Khor told interrogators: "I don't know why I stabbed him twice in his stomach. We were sleeping in the same office before I woke up, unconsciously I walked into the kitchen, took the knife and stabbed him."

A few days before he died, S.M. gave a statement to police from his hospital bed: "I was sleeping on the couch when the accused took me by surprise and plunged the knife into my stomach. Then he attempted to strangle me after I pushed him away when he tried to cut open my stomach."

Records said police found the murder weapon on the pavement outside the office. Initial investigations revealed that S.M. defended himself and escaped from the attacker, who called the police. Paramedics arrived at the scene by the time the victim had reached the pavement where he pulled the knife from his stomach.