20 years in jail for man who strangled Jordanian-Filipina to death

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a Criminal Court ruling sentencing a 30-year old mobile shop owner to 20 years in prison after convicting him of murdering a Jordanian-Filipina woman in April 2015.

The 47-year-old victim, who had been residing in Jordan for over 20 years and had two sons, was found dead in her apartment near Third Circle in Jabal Amman on April 9.

An autopsy conducted by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine detected strangulation marks on the woman’s neck and bruises on her head. 

Court documents said the defendant had known the victim for a long time because she used to buy mobile phones from him and sell them to her compatriots.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the defendant went to have dinner at the victim’s house and an argument ensued. 

“It was unclear what the argument was about but the defendant struck the victim on her head with a vase then strangled her to death with his hands,” the higher court said in its ruling, adding “the defendant left the apartment, but was arrested the following day after investigators checked the victim’s mobile and traced the last call, which led to the defendant.”

The defendant had contested the Criminal Court’s ruling charging that he committed the murder “in a moment of rage because the victim attacked him”.

However, the higher court disregarded his claims because there was no evidence that indicated that the victim did indeed attack the defendant.

“The Criminal Court followed the proper proceedings when sentencing the defendant who deserved the verdict he received,” the Court of Cassation said.

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