Woman receives 6-year sentence for attempted murder of husband’s second wife

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June Criminal Court ruling sentencing a Syrian woman to six years in prison after convicting her of attempting to murder her husband's pregnant second wife in the southern badia region in January.

The stabbing incident on January 12 caused the victim to lose her pregnancy.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of attempting to murder her husband's second wife, also a Syrian, and stabbing the victim's eight-month foetus, causing his death, and handed her a 12-year prison term.

However, the court decided to reduce the sentence to six years in prison because the victim dropped charges.

 Court papers stated that on the day of the incident, the defendant and the victim, who lived in the same tent but in separate sections, became engaged in a heated argument.

 "The two women quarreled because the defendant beat up the victim's son," court documents said.

The argument became heated and the defendant grabbed a knife and "stabbed the eight-month pregnant woman repeatedly on her stomach," according to court papers.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where attending physicians managed to save her life, but not the unborn child’s, according to court documents.

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

Meanwhile, the defendant contested the Criminal Court's ruling, claiming that the court relied on "weak and doubtful evidence".

The defendant also charged that the court failed to hear defence witnesses in the case, including the defendant's husband.

"The victim testified in court that the stabbing was not intentional and the victim stated that the defendant stabbed her during a scuffle," the lawyer argued.

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

"The defendant knew that in stabbing the victim, who was pregnant, the chances of killing her and her unborn child were high, so she should not benefit from a reduction in penalty," the higher court ruled.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Naji Zubi, Nayef Samarat and Hammad Ghzawi.