Court upholds sentence of man who killed brother-in-law

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to 20 years in prison for  manslaughter after he killed his brother-in-law following an argument in Zarqa, 22km east of the capital.

The Criminal Court in February convicted the defendant of the manslaughter of Mohammad Ali.

Court papers said that in August 2014, the defendant passed children fighting in the street and engaged in an argument with them. 

The victim was passing by at the same time and asked the defendant what the problem was, and the two started arguing, court papers said.

The victim returned to his house, the court said, adding that Ali saw the defendant near his house and the arguments resumed.

“The defendant pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim three times, including one fatal stab to the heart,” the court said.

The defendant fled the scene briefly before being arrested, and the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, the court maintained.

The defendant contested the court ruling demanding a lesser sentence since “he committed the murder in the heat of the moment”.

However, the Cassation Court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedure when issuing the sentence and the punishment was satisfactory.

The Cassation Court comprised judges Yassin Abdullat, Mohammad Tarawneh, Daoud Tubeleh, Bassem Mubeidin and Hussein Sakran.