The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering his colleague and flatmate in Dublin has retired to consider a verdict. Kamal El-Habsati was stabbed to death at an apartment he shared with Jacky Lumi at Santry Cross in Ballymun in December 2012.

The body of Mr. El Habsati was found with a knife sticking out of his chest a few days after he was killed on December 1st 2012. His former flatmate Jacky Lumi admits killing him, but claims he acted in self-defence and did not mean to take his life.

During his trial, the court heard how the two men moved in together after travelling from The Netherlands to take up jobs in north Dublin.

From the stand a friend of the accused said Mr. Lumi was not happy with Mr. El Habsati being a Muslim and they often rowed about unpaid bills at work.

After his arrest, Mr. Lumi told gardai he killed his flatmate after a fight broke out when he switched off their broadband. Kamal El-Habsati was stabbed 21 times and found a few days later after his boss raised the alarm when he did not show up for work.

Jacky Lumi does not deny killing Mr. El Habsati, but the jury has now been left to decide whether he intended to kill him and is guilty of murder.