A Melbourne man who fatally stabbed an acquaintance he believed had referred to him as a "snitch" has been found guilty of murder.
Marco Deng admitted being angry when he heard about the apparent jibe made by Machar Kot in social media posts.
A jury on Friday found Deng guilty of murdering Mr Kot after faking a Xanax purchase to lure him into a fight on June 22, 2020.
Deng and his friends went to a hotel in the Melbourne CBD where they had arranged to meet Mr Kot and his friends.
Deng ushered Mr Kot away from his friends and around a corner. He confronted Mr Kot about the snitch comment.
He allegedly punched Mr Kot in the head and was struck himself in retaliation.
"It seemed to have been a better punch because it knocked Mr Deng to the ground," prosecutor Mark Gibson said during the trial in the Victorian Supreme Court.
The pair fought before Deng armed himself with a knife and pursued Mr Kot around Market Street in the CBD and to the Oaks on Market hotel.
Mr Kot tried to seek refuge in the hotel foyer but was stabbed in the torso by Deng.
He died at the scene.
Deng fled but was was arrested days later at a medical clinic, after telling staff to call police.
He told police after the stabbing that he was angry about the snitch comment.
"Not to the max, but I was annoyed so I just went and fought him," Deng told police.
He will face a pre-sentence hearing at a later date.
