9-year prison sentence against Egyptian upheld

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a January Criminal Court ruling, sentencing an Egyptian man to over nine years in prison after convicting him of engaging in sexual activities with his minor neighbour in Zarqa in August 2018.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of engaging in sexual activities with the 17-year-old girl in mid-August and sentenced him to nine years and four months in prison.

Court papers said the defendant developed a relationship with the victim, who was his next door neighbour in Zarqa.

Shortly afterwards, the court documents added, their relationship developed and they engaged in sexual activities.

“Their relationship was exposed and the victim’s family filed a complaint to the police,” court documents said.

The defendant, through his lawyer, contested the court’s ruling arguing that the “court did not follow proper legal proceedings”.

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

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