Brothers receive sentences for attempted murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a December Criminal Court ruling sentencing two brothers to prison terms ranging from six to ten years after convicting them of attempting to murder their brother-in-law in Amman in July 2011.

The Criminal Court declared the defendants guilty of attempted murder, stemming from a dispute with the victim, who married their sister against their will, on July 20.   

The older brother received a 10-year prison term, while the younger brother was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.

Court papers said that, a few weeks before the murder attempt, the victim wed the defendants’ sister against their will. 

"There were constant problems between the victim and the defendants as a result of the marriage," court documents revealed.

One day before the incident, the court maintained, the victim attacked one of the defendants with a knife following a heated argument.

“The injury was superficial and the defendant was treated and discharged from hospital on the same day,” according to court papers.

The defendants decided to take revenge, the court maintained, and headed to the victim’s home the following day armed with weapons.

“The defendants called on the victim to come out of the house, and the minute they saw him, they opened fire at him, striking him in the neck and shoulder,” court papers said.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital and survived the shooting incident after undergoing several surgeries, court papers added.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the initial rulings. The defendants contested the rulings stating that “they were innocent of the charges”.

The defendants also asked the court to release them because “they both support families”.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendants were given the appropriate punishment.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Bassim Mubeidin, Majid Azab, Hamad Ghzawi and Naji Zu’bi.