Man receives death penalty for murder of wife, attempted murder of in-laws

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an October Police Court ruling sentencing a man to death after convicting him of murdering his 43-year-old wife and attempting to murder two of his in-laws over marital problems in Irbid in December 2018.

The court declared the defendant, a police corporal, guilty of the premeditated shooting and killing of his wife and the attempted murder of his father- and mother in-law while at their home in Irbid on December 6.

The Court of Cassation also upheld the Police Court’s ruling to demote the defendant’s rank and discharge him from service.

Court documents said the defendant and the victim had “constant marital problems” and that his wife would often go to her family’s home before returning to her husband.

A few weeks before the incident, the couple was engaged in a heated dispute and the victim went to her family’s home, refusing to return to the home she shared with her husband, the court added.

The court maintained that the victim filed for divorce at the Sharia Court.

“The defendant became enraged and decided to kill his wife because she refused to return home,” court documents read.

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the defendant acquired a pistol and a pump-action gun and went to his in-laws' house. 

“The defendant opened fire from his weapon and shot at his wife and in-laws, killing his wife and injuring his father- and mother-in-law,” court papers said.

The defendant then fled on foot and was later arrested by police, court papers added.

The defendant’s wife was struck with a bullet that penetrated her lung, and she died in hospital during an operation. Her parents survived the shooting incident after medical intervention, the court maintained.

The defendant did not contest the verdict, while the Police Prosecution Office asked the higher court to uphold the death penalty passed against the defendant by the Police Court.

The higher court ruled that the Police Court had followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant and that he deserved the verdict he had received.

“The premeditation motive is very clear to us, especially since the defendant prepared two weapons in order to commit his crime,” the court maintained.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Brig. Gen. Ayman Awaysheh, Yassin Abdullat and Majid Azab.