Man jailed for murder attempt on highway

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a March Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to eight years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder a man during a brawl in Maan in August 2019. 

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of stabbing the victim once in the back on August 8 following “a heated argument”. 

The court first handed the defendant a 12-year prison term. However, the sentence was reduced to eight years because the victim dropped charges.

Court papers said the victim and a friend were driving to Aqaba and decided to pull over to buy coffee from a shop on the highway.

“An argument ensued between the victim and people who were in the coffee shop,” court papers said.

The victim and his friend drove away in hopes that they would avoid any hostile conflicts, the court papers added.

However, the defendant and a group of his friends jumped into a car and chased the victim’s vehicle.

“The defendant managed to obstruct the victim's path and immediately attacked his vehicle and, eventually, stabbed him in the back,” court documents stated. 

The victim survived the assault after undergoing surgery to his back at a nearby hospital, the court papers added. 

Attending physicians at the hospital determined that the injuries were life-threatening and he survived due to medical assistance.

The defendant contested the Criminal Court’s ruling arguing that the “prosecution failed to provide solid evidence to convict him with the charges”.

“The court also relied on contradictory statements that were provided by some witnesses,” the lawyer argued.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the ruling. 

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

“The court relied in its ruling on expert testimonies and DNA evidence that tied the defendant to the stabbing incident,” the higher court ruled.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Fawzi Nahar, Yassin Abdullat, Majid Azab and Mohammad Khashashneh.