Man sentenced to death for murdering colleague

AMMAN — The Criminal Court on Sunday sentenced a 27-year-old carpenter to death after convicting him of murdering his former work colleague in October 2014.

The court declared the defendant guilty of the premeditated murder of Nuha Shurafa, 24, on October 21 and handed him the maximum punishment.

The court also ordered the defendant to pay JD90,000 in compensation to the victim’s family.

The defendant stood motionless upon hearing his death verdict, a senior judicial source told The Jordan Times.

Court documents said the defendant wanted to marry the victim but “was unable because of several hurdles and family matters”.

On the day of the murder, the court maintained, the defendant lured the victim to a deserted farm where “the two discussed getting married, but an argument ensued and he strangled her with his hands and struck her with an iron bar on her neck”.

The court relied on the defendant’s testimony and confession as well as the victim’s cellular phone records, which indicated that the suspect was the last person to have contacted her. 

 Criminal Court Prosecutor Afif Khawaldeh asked the court to inflict the maximum punishment on the defendant.

The court tribunal comprised judges Ibrahim Abu Shama, Anwar Abu Eid and Tareq Ershied. Sunday’s verdict will automatically be reviewed by the Court of Cassation within the next 30 days.