2 men handed 10 years each in prison for robbery of 4 pharmacies

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation upheld a February State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing two men to 10 years in prison each, after convicting them of robbing four pharmacies in Amman in 2018.

The court declared the defendants guilty of forming a gang to rob both people and establishments using weapons and sharp objects, and handed them 10-year prison terms each.

Court papers said the defendants, who were friends, decided to make “quick cash” by robbing pharmacies in Amman.

Their robbery scheme was between October and December 2018 and targeted three pharmacies in Tabarbour, and one in Hashmi Shamali, the court papers said.

“The robbers would enter the pharmacies late at night, waving a pump action shotgun and switchblades, demanding cash,” according to the court documents.

The defendants also stole shampoo, perfumes and condoms, the court documents added.

No one was injured during the robbery spree, the court papers added.

The two defendants were arrested by police in February 2021 following several complaints from the business owners who had been robbed, the court papers added.

The defendants, through their lawyer, contested the court’s ruling, arguing that the “court overlooked some evidence provided by the defence”.

“The prosecution failed to provide solid evidence that would implicate our clients,” the lawyer charged.

However, the higher court ruled that the SSC followed the proper procedures, and the defendants rightly deserved the verdict.

“The prosecution produced pharmacy employees who were able to identify the suspects, as well as matching fingerprints that were found at the scene of one of the four pharmacies,” the higher court stated.

The Court of Cassation added: “It was evident to us that the defendants had confessed willingly to committing the robberies”.

The Court of Cassation judges who ruled on the case were Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi, Nayef Samarat and Qassem Dughmi.