Cassation upholds seven-year sentence for child molestor

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an October Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to seven years in prison after convicting him of molesting a child in April of 2016. 

The court declared the man guilty of molesting a girl while in the process of robbing the house she was living in with her mother, and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court papers said the defendant entered the victim’s house late at night in mid-April in an attempt to rob it.

“The victim heard a noise in the house and when she went to check on the matter, she was surprised by the defendant who was holding a knife,” the court documents added.

The defendant grabbed the victim and forced her to undress, “then molested her”, according to the court documents.

In the meantime, the victim’s mother woke up and rushed to the room “and the minute the defendant saw her come in, he fled from the house”, according to court documents. 

The defendant contested the Criminal Court’s ruling asking to be declared innocent as he claimed “victim provided contradictory testimonies”.

However, the higher court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures and the defendant deserved the verdict he received.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Yassin Abdullat, Bassim Mubeidin and Majed Azab.