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20-year prison term upheld for 2013 Karak stabbing death

By Rana Husseini - May 17,2017 - Last updated at May 17,2017

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a January Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to 20 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of a man in Karak in January  2013.

The Criminal Court found the defendant guilty of the manslaughter of Ahmad Issa, following a fight over a minor traffic accident in Karak’s Rubbeh area on January 19, handing him a 20-year prison term.

Court papers stated that, on the day of the murder, the perpetrator’s friend, who was driving his bus, was involved in a minor traffic accident with a trailer carrying Issa and some of his brothers.

“The brothers engaged in a verbal argument with the bus driver and the defendant happened to be passing by, so he joined in,” the court said.

 The victim and his brothers asked the perpetrator not to interfere, the court added, “and the argument became more heated”..

“The defendant drew a knife and stabbed Issa once in the chest and stabbed two of his brothers, who attacked him following the first stabbing of their brother,” the court said.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
The defendant had asked the court to reduce his sentence as stipulated in Article 98, because “he committed the murder in a moment of rage”, according to the six-page verdict.

“The defendant said he was in a state of self-defence because the victim attacked him with a switchblade,” the court verdict said.
Meanwhile, the Criminal Court general attorney had asked the higher court to uphold the Criminal Court ruling.

The Cassation Court, which issued its decision late last month, ruled that the Criminal Court’s ruling falls within the law, that the proceedings were proper and that the sentence given was satisfactory.

“The higher court does not see that Article 98, which mentions the fit of fury, is applicable in this case,” the Cassation Court verdict said.
The Court of Cassation comprised judges Yassin Abdullat, Mohammad Tarawneh, Daoud Tubeleh, Bassem Mubeidin and Mohammad Ersheidat.

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