Man gets 8-year jail term for attempted murder

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a December Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to eight years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder a man in Amman in January 2019. 

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of striking the victim on the head with an iron bar in Marka neighbourhood on January 30 following “a heated argument” and handed him a 12-year prison term. 

However, the court decided to reduce the prison term to eight years because the victim dropped the charges against the defendant. 

Court papers said the defendant and the victim’s brothers engaged in “a heated argument” regarding an old feud.

The victim headed to the defendant’s shop to discuss the matter and saw him standing outside with an iron bar in his hand, according to court documents.

“The victim attempted to resolve the issue but the defendant responded by striking him once in the head with the blunt object,” court papers said

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

However, attending physicians at the hospital determined that the injuries were life-threatening and he survived because of medical interference.

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

The defence also argued that the incident was a “normal scuffle between people and, therefore, the attempted murder condition does not exist in this case”.

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 Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Hammad Ghzawi, Majid Azab, Ahmad Katawneh and Mohammad Khashashneh.