Man gets 15-year prison term for attempted murder of 4 neighbours

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to 15 years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder four of his neighbours while robbing their home in Zarqa in June 2019. 

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of stabbing a woman, her two children and her friend while attempting to rob their home on June 10 and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court papers said the defendant needed JD100 to pay a loan and decided to rob his neighbours.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the defendant noticed that the victim’s door was open so he grabbed a switchblade and wore gloves.

When the defendant entered the house, court papers added, he was surprised by the mother who was in the kitchen drinking water.

“The woman started screaming so the defendant stabbed her repeatedly with the switchblade,” the court papers said.

The victim’s son, who heard his mother screaming, rushed to the kitchen and was also attacked by the defendant, the court said.

“The defendant stabbed the boy repeatedly on different parts of his body and the altercation attracted the attention of his sister,” the court said.

The girl was also stabbed by the defendant and she managed to escape from his grip, the court added.

In the meantime, the victims’ neighbours entered the home and “she was also attacked by the defendant, who escaped after hearing more people entering the home”, according to court papers.

The victims survived the assault after undergoing several surgeries at a nearby hospital, the court papers added. 

Attending physicians at the hospital determined that the injuries the mother and her son sustained from the attack were life-threatening and they survived due to medical interference.

The defendant contested the Criminal Court’s ruling arguing that the “prosecution failed to provide solid evidence to convict him with the charges”.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the ruling. 

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment. 

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Hayel Amr, Nayef Samarat, Ahmad Katawneh and Mohammad Khashashneh.