20-year jail term for man who murdered friend after attempting to rape his fiance

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a December Criminal Court ruling sentencing a 28-year-old man to 20 years in prison after convicting him of murdering his friend following a heated argument in Irbid in May 2014.

The court declared the defendant guilty of stabbing the victim to death following a fight at his fiancé’s home and handed him the maximum penalty.

Court documents said the defendant was engaged to a woman whom the victim knew.

On May 26, the victim received a call from the sister of the fiancé “informing him that the defendant was at their home and was trying to force himself on his future bride after locking the door on them in one of the rooms,” the court stated, adding that the victim rushed to the house, managed to open the door and saw the woman half undressed and crying while standing next to the defendant.

“The victim asked the defendant about his disgraceful actions with his fiancé but he told him it was none of his business and the two started fighting,” the court said.

The defendant then drew a “switchblade and stabbed the defendant several times on his chest”, according to court papers, which noted that the defendant did not contest the court ruling.

However, the Court of Cassation, which automatically reviews any court verdict that is over five years in prison reviewed the case and ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant.

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