Life in jail for man who ran over police officers

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a May Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to life in prison after he was convicted of killing a police officer with his vehicle in Ramtha governorate in June 2017.

The court declared the defendant guilty of running over and killing First Lt. Faris Bani Khalid during a routine traffic stop on June 13 and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court papers said the defendant was driving towards Tura town without a driver licence and speeding when he saw a police patrol stationed on the side of the road.

 The victim and another police officer attempted to pull over the defendant as part of a routine traffic stop, court documents said.

“Since the defendant did not have a driver licence he decided to run over the traffic officers as a result and he accelerated his speed driving towards them,” court papers said.

 Bani Khalid was struck by the speeding vehicle driven by the defendant while the second traffic officer managed to jump away, which saved his life, according to the court.

 The suspect then fled the scene and was arrested by police the following day, the court documents added.

 Bani Khalid was rushed to a nearby hospital but died the following day as a result of a fractured skull and other wounds, according to court documents.

The defendant contested the Criminal Court’s ruling arguing “he never intended to kill Bani Khalid and was just trying to get away because he was driving without a driving licence”.

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

The Court of Cassation Judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zubi, Yassin Abdullat, Bassim Mubeidin and Majid Azab.