Murder attempt convict gets reduced prison term after victim drops charges

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a November Criminal Court decision to sentence a man to five years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder a man in Amman in June 2016.

The Criminal Court handed the defendant a 10-year prison term after convicting him of attempting to murder the victim with a blunt object and a switchblade on June 22.

However, the court decided to immediately reduce the prison term to half because the victim dropped charges against the defendant.

Court documents said the defendant and the victim had a heated argument about an incident involving the vehicle belonging to the wife of the victim.

"The defendant had approached the vehicle in a dangerous manner prompting the victim to engage in a heated argument with him," court transcripts said.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the defendant headed to the victim's house and stood outside.

"The victim went outside to check the matter and the defendant attacked him with a blunt object, striking him on his chest," according to court transcripts.

The defendant then drew a switchblade and "stabbed the victim once in the chest, then fled from the area".

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery and his life was saved, court papers said.

The Criminal Court's attorney general had asked the higher court to uphold the sentence against the defendant stating that the court had abided by the proper legal procedures when sentencing the defendant.

The defendant, through his lawyer, contested the court's ruling arguing that he "should be declared innocent because the criminal court prosecutor failed to present any solid evidence that would implicate his client".

"The court also depended on weak evidence and refused to summon some witnesses who would have testified in favour of my client," the lawyer argued.

However, the Cassation Court ruled that the Criminal Court's judgement fell within the law, that the proceedings were proper and that the sentence given was satisfactory.

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