Court upholds teenage molestation conviction

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a September 2019 Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to five years in prison after convicting him of molesting a teenage girl in Irbid in November 2018.

The court declared the defendant guilty of molesting the 14-year-old girl, whom he met via social media, and handed him the maximum sentence. 

Court papers said the defendant met the child via messenger and the two agreed to meet up.

On November 29, the defendant met with the victim who skipped school and took her to an apartment where he sexually assaulted her.

"The victim left and did not inform anyone about the incident," the court maintained.

However, three days later, the victim informed her mother about the sexual assault and she notified the police, the court added.

The lawyer contested the investigation’s proceedings arguing that the defendant was subjected to torture to confess to something he did not commit. 

“The victim provided contradictory statements to investigators and, therefore, the court should disregard her testimony and declare the defendant innocent,” the lawyer argued.

The criminal court prosecutor failed to provide any solid evidence that would "connect my client to the charges," the lawyer argued.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court’s general attorney had asked the higher court to uphold the ruling, stating that the court abided by the proper legal procedures when sentencing the defendant.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant and that he deserved the verdict he received.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zubi, Yassin Abdullat, Majid Azab and Saeed Mugheid.