Man sentenced to 2 years in prison for drug possession

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

The court declared the defendant guilty of obtaining various illegal narcotics with the intent of selling the drugs locally on November 8.

The SSC handed the defendant a two-year prison term for the offence of possessing illegal narcotics and ordered him to pay JD2,000 in fines.

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 anti-narcotics department learnt of the defendant’s illegal activities and sent one of its agents to pose as a buyer,” the court documents said.

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

Upon searching the defendant, the court papers said, AND personnel found small quantities of illegal narcotics, including Captagon pills, cocaine and hashish on his person. 

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

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 against the defendant.

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

The Court of Cassation judges presiding were Mohammad Ibrahim, Hammad Ghzawi, Majid Azab, Mohammad Khashashneh and Qassem Dughmi.