Two men sentenced to death for revenge murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an April Criminal Court's decision to sentence two men to death and another man to 20 years in prison after convicting them of murdering two men to arevge the killing of their sibling in Karak Governorate in November 2017.

The Criminal Court convicted them of shooting and killing the two men with machine guns in the town of Hasa on November 13. 

Court documents said that a few months before the incident, the victims’ brother had murdered the sibling of the defendants, and they decided to avenge his death.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the defendants spotted the victims in a market, returned home, armed themselves and followed them.

“The defendants drove some 25 kilometres behind the victims’ vehicle and when they approached them they opened fire from their weapons,” court papers said.

The two victims were struck with 15 bullets on different parts of their bodies, court papers added.

“The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, but were declared dead on arrival,” court papers said.

Meanwhile, the defendants sped away from the area and were later arrested by the police, according to court documents.

The prosecution office at the Criminal Court asked the higher court to uphold the ruling stating that the verdict was correct and in accordance with the law and proper procedures.

The defendants contested the verdicts through their lawyer, arguing that the Criminal Court depended on contradictory statements of the witnesses.

The defendants also argued that the court failed to examine thoroughly the evidence provided by the defence.

However, the Cassation Court ruled that the Criminal Court’s judgement fell within the law, that the proceedings were proper and that the sentences given were satisfactory.

“The defendants confessed freely and willingly to the murder incident and therefore they deserve the sentences they received,” the Court of Cassation said.

The Court of Cassation tribunal comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Bassem Mubeidin, Naji Zu’bi and Majid Azab.