Bus driver gets life term for murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a March Criminal Court ruling sentencing a 37-year-old bus driver to life in prison after convicting him of murdering a man and attempting to murder three of his family members in Ruseifa in February of 2014.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of shooting and killing the victim, also a bus driver, as well as attempting to kill his father and three brothers on February 17 and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court papers said the defendant had an argument with the victim’s brother about rights to carry passengers in his bus in Zarqa. The argument became heated so he went home, called on his brothers and relatives to join him and headed to the victim’s home. 

“The victim was standing outside with his family members and the minute they saw the other group approaching they went after their weapons,” court documents read.

The defendant and his family members engaged in a heavy gun-battle with the victim and his family members, according to court documents.

“The defendant was shouting during the exchange of fire that he wanted to kill any of the victim’s family members,” the court documents added.

The defendant struck the victim in the face with his weapon and fired at other family members but missed, according to court documents.

The victim was rushed to hospital but died few hours later as a result of gunshot wounds to the head, the court added.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general had asked the Court of Cassation to uphold the verdict. The defendant contested the ruling arguing that he was defending himself and did not fire the fatal shot.

However, the higher court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures and the defendant deserved the verdict he received.

“The Criminal Court relied on several witnesses who were in the area or part of the people involved in the heavy shooting incident and they all pointed to the defendant as the main culprit in this shooting incident,” the Court of Cassation said. 

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Yassin Abdullat, Majid Azab and Bassim Mubeidin.