A Vietnamese migrant worker was jailed 10 years and six months after stabbing a 26-year-old compatriot and subsequently causing his death in a workers’ hostel in August 2016.
The defendant surnamed Dang, then 37, had a heated debate on the evening of August 13, 2016, with the victim surnamed Nguyen due to running conflicts between them at work, the Liberty Times reported.
The court heard that during the conversation, Dang suddenly pulled out a fruit knife and used it to stab Nguyen from behind, causing a penetrating wound in the victim’s chest. The man was pronounced dead at the hospital due to severe bleeding.
Dang ran downstairs to call others to help save Nguyen, then reported to police at Miaoli Precinct later after disposing of the knife used to stab him.
Taichung District Prosecutors Office advised pressing murder charges against the defendant, saying it was common sense that stabbing a person from behind was an act that could endanger the victim’s life.
The Taiwan Taichung District Court considered that Dang had worked in Taiwan for two years and looked forward to returning to Vietnam on December 24 – around four months after the incident.
But, given that Dang had asked others to help the victim before fleeing, the court found the defendant guilty to wounding causing the death of Nguyen instead, and jailed him for 10 years and six months.
He will be deported after serving the jail term.