Man jailed for attempted murder of two AND officers

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an April  Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to 15 years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder two Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) officers in Amman in August of last year.

The court declared the defendant, who has a prior criminal record in theft and assault, guilty of shooting at the two AND officers, who were attempting to arrest him in the Taj neighbourhood on August 7, and handed him the maximum punishment.

Court documents said that on the day of the incident, the defendant was with two other men in a vehicle when an AND patrol approached them.

"The minute the defendant saw the patrol, he jumped from the vehicle and opened fire at the officers who were approaching his car," court papers said.

One of the two officers was injured while the defendant escaped with the other two men, court documents maintained.

"The defendant ran towards an alley and resisted arrest but was eventually overpowered by the police officers," according to court papers.

The two other men, who did not appeal their verdicts, were also arrested, following a brief chase by AND agents, court documents stated.

Meanwhile, the injured officer was rushed to a nearby hospital, suffering from a foot injury, the court papers said.

The Criminal Court’s general attorney had asked the higher court to uphold the sentence, stating that the Criminal Court had abided by the proper legal procedures when sentencing the defendant.

The defendant contested the ruling, arguing that he should receive a lesser sentence, since the injuries the victims sustained were not life-threatening.

"The lawyer also argued that the defendant was unable to provide his defence evidence during his trial," court transcripts said.

However, the higher court ruled that the Criminal Court had followed the proper procedures, and that the defendant had received the proper verdict.

"The defendant's intention was clearly to shoot and kill anyone who was coming in his direction to arrest him," the higher court ruled.

The higher court maintained that the officers were not killed because they were able to protect themselves from the bullets by using their vehicles as cover.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Bassim Mubeidin, Nayef Samarat and Yassin Abdullat.