Cassation Court upholds 2-year sentence for drug possession case

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a March 2023 State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing a man to two years in prison after convicting him of possessing illegal narcotics in Amman in October 2022.

The court declared the defendant guilty of possessing illegal narcotics while in the Shafa Badran neighbourhood on October 13.

The SSC handed the defendant a punishment of two years in prison and ordered him to pay JD2,000 in fines.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learnt the defendant was in possession of illegal narcotics and placed him under surveillance.

“The AND agents arrested the defendant and found a small stash of Crystal meth on him,” court documents said.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that the court “should reduce the prison term since her client is married and has three children”.

My client possessed a small quantity of illicit drugs that was for personal use and he had no intention to sell any illicit drugs in the local market,” the lawyer also argued.

Meanwhile, the SSC prosecution office asked the higher court to uphold the sentence and the fine imposed on the defendant.

The higher court maintained that the SSC had followed the proper procedures in issuing the sentences against the defendant.

“It was clear to the court that the defendant confessed willingly to possessing the illegal drugs for personal use,” the higher court said.

Therefore, the higher court maintained that the defendant deserved the punishment he received.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi, Qassem Dughmi, Mohammad Khashashneh and Nayef Samarat.