Man sentenced to 7 years in jail for attempted murder

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld an April Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to seven years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder a nightclub owner and an accountant in Amman in December 2015. 

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of shooting the victims following “a heated argument” and handed him a 10-year prison term. 

However, the court decided to reduce the prison sentence to seven years because the victim dropped charges against the defendant.

Court papers said the defendant was at the club when an argument ensued with the club owner and the accountant over a bill amount.

“The argument turned into a scuffle and the defendant grabbed a gun and fired several rounds at the two men,” court papers said.

One of the victims was shot in the stomach while the second escaped the shooting spree without any injuries, court documents said.

The victim survived the assault after undergoing surgery to his stomach, the court papers added. 

However, attending physicians at the hospital determined that the injuries were life-threatening and he survived due to medical interference.

The defendant did not contest the verdict.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the ruling. 

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment. 

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi, Qassem Dughmi and Nayf Samarat.