Court hears medical forensic expert’s findings in Luweibdeh building collapse case

AMMAN — A forensic expert on Tuesday told a court that the duration of injury for three of the nine wounded in the Jabal Luweibdeh building collapse, which left 14 people dead and dozens injured in September of this year, ranges between one week and one year.

Assistant Director at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine (NIFM) Hammam Qatawneh asked the court for time to present his testimony for the remaining six injured individuals, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The court agreed and adjourned the session until next Tuesday.

Three defendants are standing trial on 14 charges of involuntary manslaughter and nine charges of causing bodily harm in connection with the building collapse, which occurred September 13 of this year.

The defendants, who pleaded not guilty during their opening trial and are released on bail, include the maintenance supervisor, a maintenance technician, and the heir of the building owner who was responsible for supervising the property.

Once the forensic expert presents the court with an estimate of the duration of injury for all survivors, the defence will begin presenting witnesses and evidence in the case.

The court heard several witnesses for the prosecution who examined the site and determined that the “soil type had no role in the collapse of the building”.

Expert witnesses also added that previous construction work caused cracks in the building.

Other experts who were tasked with examining the site of the building testified that in the past few months, the building’s maintenance work, as well as the removal of a structurally integral column and wall, caused the fall.