Man sentenced to 4 years in jail for drug possession

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a September State Security Court (SSC) ruling, sentencing a man to four years in prison for possessing hashish in Mafraq Governorate in December last year.

The court declared the defendant guilty of possessing 123 grammes of hashish with the intention of consuming the illegal narcotic and handed him a four-year prison term.

The SSC also ordered the defendant to pay JD4,000 in fines, according to court transcripts.

Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) agents were informed that the defendant was in possession of narcotics, which he was intending to use, according to court transcripts.

“A force raided his home and found the illegal narcotic hidden in his house,” court documents said.

Upon searching the defendant’s house, the court added, AND operatives found a piece of hashish hidden in the residence. 

The SSC prosecution office asked the higher court to uphold the verdict because it was in accordance with the law.

The defendant, through his lawyer, contested the SSC’s ruling, stating that the court “failed to depend on solid evidence when convicting him”. 

Nonetheless, the higher court maintained that the SSC had followed the right procedures in the issuance of the sentences against the defendant.

“The defendant confessed willingly to the charges and the evidence against him were solid,” the higher court ruled.

The Court of Cassation judges presiding were Mohammad Ibrahim, Nayef Samarat, Mohammad Khashashneh, Fawzi Nahar and Ahmad Qatawneh.