AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a September 2023 State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing a man to 18 months in prison after convicting him of possessing illegal narcotics in Amman in April 2023.

 

The court declared the defendant guilty of possessing illegal narcotics while in the street in the Sweifieh area on April 11.

 

The SSC handed the defendant a punishment of 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay JD1,500 in fines.

 

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

 

“The AND agents arrested the defendant and a small stash of Hashish and some illegal pills,” court documents said.

 

The defendant confessed to possessing the illegal narcotics for his personal use, the court maintained.

 

The defendant contested the SSC’s ruling through his lawyer, who argued that there were irregularities with the investigation procedures.

 

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 his personal use,” the higher court said.

 

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

 

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