Man handed 10-year jail term for drug possession

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a May State Security Court (SSC) ruling, sentencing a man to 10 years in prison after convicting him of possessing 11 kilogrammes of marijuana with the intent of selling it in the local market in June 2020.

The court declared the defendant guilty of the planting and possession of the illegal narcotics on June 20 and handed him a 15-year prison term.

The SSC also ordered the defendant to pay JD10,000 in fines.

However, the court decided to reduce the prison term to 10 years “to give the defendant a second chance in life”.

The court maintained the JD10,000 in fines.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learnt the defendant was planting and possessing illegal narcotics and raided the residence he was staying at.

“The AND agents found marijuana plants hidden in a barrel and other stash planted in the house’s courtyard,” court documents said.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that “the defendant planted the marijuana for personal use and had no previous criminal record”.

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 and the seized amount is too large to be for personal use,” the higher court said.

The Court of Cassation judges presiding were Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi, Qassem Dughmi and Mohammad Khashashneh.