Life term upheld for man who gunned down relative

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a January Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to life in prison after convicting him of murdering a relative in Amman in October 2015.

The Criminal Court handed the defendant the maximum sentence after convicting him of shooting and killing the victim   with a pump action shotgun on October 4.

Court documents said the defendant had an old feud with the victim and his family over accusations of theft.

“The defendant and his brothers decided to take revenge by killing members of the victim’s family,” court papers said.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the defendant headed to the victim’s house with his siblings.

“The defendant pointed the weapon at the victim and his siblings and fired several rounds, including a fatal shot that struck the victim in the chest,” court papers said.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital in an ambulance where he died shortly afterwards, according to court transcripts. 

The defendant contested the court’s ruling arguing that he “should benefit for a reduction in penalty since he committed the murder in self-defence”.

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.

“It was clear to the court that the argument of self-defence does not exist in this incident and the Criminal Court’s verdict is accurate,” the higher court ruled.

The Cassation Court tribunal comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Bassem Mubeidin, Naji Zu’bi and Majid Azab.