4-month jail term upheld for man who performed immoral acts on child

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a January Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to four months in prison after convicting him of  indecent immoral acts against a child in Mafraq in August.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of indecent acts against a seven-year-old Syrian child while she was sleeping next to her mother at their home on August 25 and handed him the maximum sentence of four months. 

The Criminal Court amended the original molestation charges pressed by the Criminal Court prosecutor to indecent immoral acts “because the child was fully dressed when he kissed and he did not touch any of her private parts”.

Court papers said the victim was sleeping next to her mother when she felt that a man was touching and kissing her neck.

“The girl screamed and her mother woke up and called on her husband to check out the house,” the court said.

The husband found a naked man (the defendant) hiding in the kitchen and he escaped, the court added.

The defendant left behind his clothes, wallet and ID, which helped the authorities arrest him later, court transcripts stated.

The higher court ruled earlier this year that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and correct and the defendant received the appropriate punishment.

The court comprised former president of the Cassation Court Hesham Tel, and judges Basil Abu Anzeh, Mohammad Ibrahim, Hussein Sakran and Naji Zu’bi.