Man sentenced to 8 years in prison for attempted murder friend

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June 2022 Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to eight years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder his friend in Amman in January 2021.

The Criminal Court declared the guilty of attempted murder, stemming from “a heated dispute” with the victim in Jabal qusour on January 6. 

The defendant was given a maximum sentence of 12 years. However, the court decided to reduce the prison term to eight years because the victim dropped charges against the defendant.

Court papers said the defendant and the victims were friends and had run some errands one day before the incident. On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the victim went to the defendant’s home because he forgot his cigarettes.

"An argument ensued between the two and the defendant grabbed a gun from his house and fired five rounds at the victim,” the court documents said.

The victim was struck with one bullet and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, the court added.

The defendant contested his ruling via his lawyer arguing that there were “legal errors in the investigation procedures”. The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the eight-year sentence ruling.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mahmoud Ebtoush, Hammad Ghzawi, Qassem Dughmi, Nayef Samarat and Mohammad Khashashneh.

Court papers said the defendant was standing next to a vehicle with his friend, when another driver pulled over next to them, and the group exchanged words.

The argument became heated, and the “defendant grabbed a switchblade and stabbed the driver once in the chest,” according to court papers.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital and survived the stabbing incident after undergoing surgery, the court papers added.

The defendant did not contest the ruling.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the eight-year sentence.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Mohammad Khashashneh, Hammad Ghzawi, Nayef Samarat and Ibrahim Abu Shamma.