Man sentenced to 8 years in prison for molesting boy

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a December 2020 Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to eight years in prison after convicting him of molesting a boy in August 2016. 

The court declared the defendant guilty of molesting the 11-year-old boy while at his home on August 26 and handed him the maximum sentence.

Court papers said victim went to the defendant's home on the day of the incident.

“The defendant forced the boy into his toilet and undressed him by force," court transcripts said.

The defendant then “proceeded to molest the child who was resisting his actions", court papers added.

The victim left and notified his family, the court maintained, and they filed a complaint against him. 

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the sentence against the defendant "because the punishment he received was proper".

The defence, meanwhile, asked the court to acquit his client because "the Criminal Court relied only on weak evidence and contradictory statements when issuing the sentence".

"The prosecution office failed to present any solid evidence that would implicate my client," the defence lawyer charged.

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

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Majid Azab, RSaeed Mugheid, Ahmad Qatatneh and Hammad Ghezwi.