Five-year jail term for man who sexually assaulted, robbed man he met online

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to five years in prison after convicting him of sexually assaulting and robbing a Syrian man in March 2012.

The court declared the defendant guilty of luring the 22-year-old victim via social media before sexually assaulting him and robbing him of his mobile on March 12 and handed him an increased sentence of five years and six months.

Court papers said the defendant established a fake Facebook page claiming he wishes to engage in sexual activities with other men and “this is how he met the victim”.

“The defendant was planning to rob and sexually assault men when he established the page,” the court records said, adding that the two men agreed to meet in an apartment where “the defendant attacked the victim, molested him and robbed him of his mobile”. 

“The defendant then claimed that he was a security agent and threatened the victim not to report the incident,” the court papers said.

The defendant sold the victim’s mobile for JD140, according to the court verdict.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant and that he deserves the verdict he received. 

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zubi, Hamad Ghzawi, Bassim Mubeidin and Majid Azab.