Hamad Town stabbing: Accused says victim sprayed foam on his face

Manama

A teenager implicated in murdering another boy in Hamad Town claimed he had stabbed his victim to death after the latter sprayed a foam material on his face. The 19-year old is suspected of killing Hussain Al Asfoor, in his early 20s, on June 1 during a fatal brawl. Eyewitnesses earlier said that the fight had erupted between the pair after Al Asfoor tried to intervene when he spotted the defendant drifting a car near Roundabout 21, where a religious celebration was taking place.

But the accused gave a different account to the events, according to court files made public, affirming that the victim had sprayed a foam material on his face. He said that he “jokingly grabbed” Al Asfoor, but the deceased responded back with spraying foam on his face. “I filled my palm with flour and I poured it on him, and he reacted with attacking me,” the defendant told prosecutors. “I returned to my car to take a knife and then I stabbed him with it”, he added.

A friend of the accused, who was with him at the time of the incident, claimed that he tried to stop the accused. But the 19-year-old threatened to stab him as well, he recounted.

“When the fight erupted,they were attacking each other behind the car,” he added.

“Suddenly, my friend (the accused) went to the car and grabbed a knife. I tried to hold him back, but he threatened he would stab me if I touched him," the friend told prosecutors. The accused surrendered to police, immediately after his victim was declared dead.

The High Criminal Court yesterday renewed the suspect's remand by another 30 days, pending investigation.    

The Northern Governorate Police Directorate said in a statement earlier that the police received a call from the Hamad Kanoo Health Centre about a person who succumbed to a stab wound. A crime scene investigation unit and forensic team were immediately sent to the location to collect evidence, according to the statement.

“The prime suspect in the case handed himself over to the police and the case was referred to the Public Prosecution,” the statement added.