Man sentenced to two years in prison for narcotics possession

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a November 2022 State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing a man to two years in prison after convicting him of possessing illegal narcotics in Amman in July 2021.

The court declared the defendant guilty of possessing illegal narcotics while on the street near the University of Jordan on July 29.

The SSC handed the defendant a punishment of two years in prison and ordered him to pay JD3,000 in fines.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learnt the defendant was in possession of illegal narcotics and placed him under surveillance.

“The AND agents arrested the defendant and found a variety of illegal narcotics including Captagon pills and Crystal meth,” court documents said.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that the court “should reduce the prison term since her client does not have a criminal record”.

The defence also informed the court that her client was newly-wed and had a newborn and urged the justices to reduce his prison term so he would be reunited with his family”.

"My client possessed a small quantity of illicit drugs that was for personal use and he had no intention to sell any illicit drugs in the local market,” the lawyer also argued.

Meanwhile, the SSC prosecution office asked the higher court to uphold the sentence and the fine imposed on the defendant.

The higher court maintained that the SSC had followed the proper procedures in issuing the sentences against the defendant.

“It was clear to the court that the defendant confessed willingly to possessing the illegal drugs for personal use,” the higher court said.

Therefore, the higher court maintained that the defendant deserved the punishment he received.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi, Qassem Dughmi, Mohammad Khashashneh and Nayef Samarat.