Man handed 2 years, fines for hashish possession

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an August 2022 State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing a man to two years in prison after convicting him of possessing illegal narcotics in Amman in March of last year.

The court declared the defendant guilty of obtaining illegal narcotics (hashish) with the intent of selling the drugs to an undercover agent on March 10.

The SSC handed the defendant a two-year prison term for the offence of possessing illegal narcotics and ordered him to pay JD2,000 in fines.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learned that the defendant was in possession of illegal narcotics and sent one of its agents to pose as a buyer.

“The AND agent got in touch with the defendant and asked him for a small stash of illegal drugs in return for JD600,” the court documents said.

When the two met, AND agents immediately arrested the suspect, the court papers added.

Upon searching the defendant, the court papers said, "AND personnel found 900 grammes of hashish on him". 

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

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 sentence against the defendant.

“It was clear to the court that the defendant confessed willingly to possessing the illegal drugs without being subjected to any form of duress,” the higher court said.

The Court of Cassation judges presiding were Mohammad Ibrahim, Majid Azab, Hayel Amr, Ibrahim Abu Shamma and Mohammad Shreiri.