Man sentenced to 3 years in prison for drug possession

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an April State Security Court (SSC) ruling, sentencing a drug dealer to three years in prison after convicting him of possessing illegal narcotics in Irbid in December 2021.

The court declared the defendant guilty of obtaining illegal narcotics (Captagon) with the intent of selling the drugs to an undercover agent in downtown Irbid on December 6.

The SSC handed the defendant five years in prison for the offence of possessing illegal narcotics and ordered him to pay JD5,000 in fines.

However, the court reduced the fine to JD3,000 and the prison term to three years and four months to “give the defendant a second chance in life”.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learned that the defendant was in possession of illegal narcotics and sent one of its agents to pose as a buyer.

“The AND agent got in touch with the defendant and asked him for five Captagon pills in return for JD10,” the court documents said.

When the two met, AND agents immediately arrested the suspect, the court papers added.

Upon a search of the defendant’s home, AND personnel “found 942 Captagon pills" the court papers said. 

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that the court “did not provide solid evidence to implicate his client”.

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 sentence.

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

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Majid Azab, Hayel Amr, Ibrahim Abu Shamma and Mohammad Sharieri.