Cassation court upholds 10-year sentence for man convicted of abducting, molesting child

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation upheld a July 2022 Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to 10 years in prison after convicting him of abducting and molesting a Syrian child in Aqaba in October 2021.

The court declared the defendant guilty of abducting and molesting a six-year-old girl in Aqab on October 4.

The court handed the defendant the maximum punishment.

Court papers said the victim was standing in front of her family’s home when the defendant approached her.

“The defendant asked her to accompany him to find a nearby shop but she refused,” court papers said.

The defendant snatched the girl and took her to a deserted area while placing his hand over her mouth so she would not scream, according to court transcripts.

“The defendant molested the child and set her free,” court papers said.

The victim was found later and informed her family about the sexual assault,” according to the court transcripts.

The family alerted the authorities who were able to locate the defendant from camera footage in the area, court papers added.

The victim also identified the suspect from a police lineup, the defendant, the court stated

The defendant did not contest his verdict.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the sentence.

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

The Court of Cassation was headed by Judge Mohammad Ibrahim and included judges Nayef Samarat, Qassem Dughmi, Hammad Ghzawi and Yassin Abdullat.