Man handed 20-year prison sentence for murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to 20 years in prison for murdering another man following “a heated argument” in an Irbid neighbourhood on New Year’s Eve in 2019.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of murdering the victim on December 31 with a knife and handed him the maximum sentence.

According to court papers, the defendant went to downtown Irbid with some friends and consumed alcohol.

The group then headed to a nearby shopping mall, but they were denied entry because it was only for families, court documents said.

The group stood next to the mall’s door chatting when the victim approached the vicinity with a group of friends, court documents added.

“The victim and his group were also denied entry so they stood next to the door,” the court documents said.

The defendant and the victim exchanged words, which led to the defendant to grab a knife and "stabbed the victim once in the heart," according to the court papers.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival from a single stab wound to the heart.

The defendant did not contest the verdict.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the 20-year sentence.

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

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Hayel Amr, Majid Azab and Fawzi Nahar.