Court upholds 2-year sentence for drug dealer

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

The court declared the defendant guilty of possessing illegal narcotics at his home on March 12.

The SSC handed the defendant a punishment of two years in prison and ordered him to pay JD2,000 in fines. 

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department learnt the defendant was in possession of illegal narcotics and raided his house.

“The law-enforcement officers found a small stash of hashish and crystal myth hidden in various places of the house,” court documents said.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that the court “did not provide solid evidence to implicate his client of illicit drug trafficking”.

The defence also charged that the court handed the defendant a high sentence “and my client deserves clemency by the court”.

“My client possessed a small quantity of illicit drugs that was for personal use and should receive a reduced sentence,” the lawyers 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,” the higher court said.

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