Dutch Teacher Questioned in Dubai over Alleged Murder of French Expat

Dubai prosecutors are interrogating a 30-year-old Dutch private tutor accused of involvement in the death of a French man she had been teaching English.

 

The victim, believed to be in his 30s, was reported missing by his mother at Al Barsha Police Station on December 19, 2024. Later that day, police discovered his body in his Palm Jumeirah villa, three days after the alleged incident. He was found with multiple head injuries.

 

Investigators believe the victim was struck with a metal figurine in the shape of a seated person. Forensic experts confirmed that metallic fragments recovered from the crime scene and inside the victim’s skull matched the figurine.

 

Surveillance and Forensic Evidence

Police surveillance footage showed the defendant arriving at the victim’s villa at 2pm on December 16 and leaving at 6:38pm -- significantly longer than her usual two-hour visits. The villa’s lights remained off in the days that followed, investigators noted.

 

Prosecutors also pointed to several pieces of evidence allegedly linking her to the crime scene: a stain of the victim’s blood in her car, a glove with her DNA found in the villa, a bloodied footprint under a carpet allegedly matching hers, and a cloth marked with the victim’s blood recovered from her mother’s home in Dubai Marina.

 

The defendant denied knowledge of these items, insisting her regular visits explained her presence at the villa and disputing forensic interpretations.

 

Defendant’s Account

During questioning, she repeatedly stated, “I am not guilty,” and responded with “I don’t know” to many inquiries. She admitted to searching online about sedatives but denied they were connected to the case. Scratches on her hands and a bruise on her arm, which forensic experts said could indicate a struggle, were dismissed by her as marks from sensitive skin or contact with a pet.

 

The woman said she had been tutoring the victim for a year and a half, holding four sessions a week. She explained that her final session was unusually long because the victim was preparing for a trip.

 

Her Emirati husband, 37, described her as kind and non-violent, though he admitted he did not know she was teaching the French national.

The victim’s girlfriend, 32, told police she suspected the victim shared a close relationship with the defendant.

The Dutch woman was arrested in Sharjah on December 20, 2024.

 

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