Man handed 20-year prison term for murdering vegetable vendor

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a June Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to 20 years in prison for murdering a vegetable vendor following a brawl in Zarqa in August 2019.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant, also a street vendor, guilty of murdering the 28-year-old victim following the brawl on August 28, and handed him the maximum sentence.

The victim died of a single fatal stab to the chest, court papers said.

According to court papers, the defendant would often engage in “heated arguments” with the victim over their vegetable carts being located next to each other.

“The defendant used to harass the victim’s young children when he is away and threw their vegetables on the ground,” court papers said.

On the day of the murder, the court papers maintained, the two engaged in “a heated argument” over this matter and it turned into a scuffle, according to court papers.

"The defendant drew a switchblade and stabbed the victim, killing him instantly," the court documents said.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but died shortly after being admitted, court papers added.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the 20-year sentence.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings had been accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Bassim Mubeidin, Majid Azab, Yassin Abdullat and Nayef Samarat.