Man sentenced to 2 years in prison for narcotics possession

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June 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 2022.

The court declared the defendant guilty of obtaining illegal narcotics for personal use on March 9.

The SSC handed the defendant two years in prison and ordered the defendant to pay JD2,000 in fines.

However, the SSC decided to reduce the prison term to 18 months and the fine to JD1,500 to give the defendant “a second chance in life”.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learnt the defendant was in possession of illegal narcotics and placed him under surveillance.

On March 9, the court maintained, AND officers raided his house and found Captagon pills and crystal meth hidden in his house.

“The law-enforcement officers found over 130 Captagon pills and crystal meth in a cellophane wrap,” the court documents said.

The defendant did not contest the SSC’s ruling.  

However, the SSC prosecutor contested the verdict asking the higher court to reject the SSC’s decision to reduce the prison term and the fine.

The higher court maintained that the SSC had followed the proper procedures in issuing the sentences against the defendant.

“It was clear to the court that the defendant confessed willingly to possessing the illegal drugs,” the higher court said.

The higher court added that the SSC has the jurisdiction to reduce or maintain its sentences.

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