ammonnews.net

Ammon News - The Court of Cassation has upheld a March State Security Court (SSC) ruling, sentencing a man to 10 years in prison after convicting him of smuggling illegal narcotics from Syria to Jordan in June 2019.

The court declared the defendant guilty of possessing prohibited drugs and medical substances while entering the Kingdom from Syria on June 20 and handed him a 15-year prison term.

The court also ordered the defendant to pay JD20,000 in fines.

However, the SSC decided to drop the penalty to 10 years in prison and JD10,000 in fines.

Court documents said the defendant wanted to make quick cash and decided to smuggle illegal narcotics from Syria and prepared his vehicle with secret compartments.

“The defendant was promised with JD1,500 in return for his services,” the court added.

One day before the incident, two men handed the defendant the illegal substances while he was staying near the Syrian-Jordanian borders.

When the defendant entered the Jordanian borders, customs and Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) agents became suspicious of his vehicle and decided to inspect it further, according to court papers.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that the SSC’s prosecution “depended on weak evidence and failed to 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 sentences against the defendant.

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

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