Court upholds death sentence for 27-year-old convicted of murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation upheld an October Criminal Court’s ruling sentencing a 27-year-old carpenter to death after convicting him of murdering his former work colleague in October of 2014.

The court declared the defendant guilty for the premeditated murder of Nuha Shurafa, 24, almost four years after the murder was committed, and handed him the maximum sentence.

The court also ordered the defendant to pay JD90,000 in compensation to the victim’s family.

Court documents said that the defendant met the victim at a company where he was formerly employed, and they first became friends and “then their relationship developed so they got engaged”.

“The defendant wanted to marry the victim, but was unable to because of several hurdles and family matters so he plotted to kill the woman,” according to court papers.

On October 21, the court maintained, the defendant lured the victim to a deserted farm where “the two discussed getting married, but an argument ensued”.

“The defendant strangled the victim with his hands, struck her with an iron bar on her neck and slashed her throat,” according to court documents.

The defendant then placed the victim on an old couch, covered her with a rug, took her mobile and fled.

The court said it relied on the defendant’s testimony and confession as well as the victim’s cell phone records, which indicated that the suspect was the last person to have contacted her.

The defendant, through his lawyer, contested the court verdict arguing that “he never plotted the murder and that the killing was the result of a heated argument”.

However, the Cassation Court ruled that the verdict was correct and the defendant deserved the sentence he received.

The Cassation Court comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Naji Zu’bi, Majid Azab and Bassem Mubeidin.