Cassation Court uphold over one-year sentence for drug possession

The court declared the defendant guilty of possessing illegal narcotics in Zarqa City on June 15.

The SSC punished the defendant for one year and eight months and ordered him to pay JD1,000 in fines.

The SSC also decided to amend the drug dealing charges originally pressed against the defendant by the prosecution office for illegal narcotics consumption.

“It was proven to court that the illegal narcotics found in the possession of the suspect was not intended for distribution in the local market,” the court said.

Court documents said the Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) learned the defendant was in possession of illegal narcotics and placed him under surveillance.

“The AND agents arrested the defendant and found a variety of illegal narcotics consisting of a small stash of Hashish and 395 Captagon pills,” court documents said.

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that the court “should reduce the prison term since her client supports a family”.

My client possessed a small quantity of illicit drugs that was for personal use and he had no intention to sell any illicit drugs in the local market,” the lawyer also argued.

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 for personal use,” the higher court said.

Therefore, the higher court maintained that the defendant deserved the punishment he received.

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