Molestation of minor lands man behind bars for three years

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June Criminal Court  ruling sentencing a Sudanese man to three years in prison after convicting him of molesting a teenage Egyptian girl in Zarqa in March 2017.

The court declared the defendant guilty of molesting the 16-year-old girl four times and handed him the maximum sentence.

The court also ordered the defendant to pay JD5,000 in compensation to the victim.

Court papers said that the victim met the defendant via social media in late 2016, after which they developed a relationship.

“The victim's mother discovered the relationship and attempted to stop her daughter,” court transcripts said.

The victim decided to flee her family's home, the court maintained, and went to stay with one of her friends. 

 “The victim and the defendant met and engaged in sexual activities,” court papers added.

The defendant was arrested by the police few days later, the court documents added.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to increase the sentence "because the defendant's actions were severe and the punishment he received is not enough".

The defence, meanwhile, asked the court to acquit his client because "the Criminal Court relied only on the victim's testimony when issuing the sentence".

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

"The defendant confessed willingly to engaging in sexual activities with the minor and therefore deserves the punishment he received," the higher court ruled.

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