AMMAN — The Criminal Court sentenced a man to 20 years after convicting him of murdering his sister, who was a lawyer, in Amman in January.

 

The court declared the defendant guilty of stabbing the victim while at their home on Jan. 25.

 

The victim’s family refused to drop charges against the defendant. Therefore, the defendant was given the maximum punishment of 20 years by the court

 

Court papers said that the defendant “stabbed his sister following a dispute at home.

 

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but died shortly after being admitted due to the severe injuries she sustained, court papers said.

 

Meanwhile, the suspect turned himself in to police, the court added.

 

The court decided to amend the premeditated murder charges that were originally pressed against the defendant by the prosecutor to manslaughter.

 

The Criminal Court’s verdict, which was issued earlier this week, will automatically be reviewed by the Court of Cassation within the next 30 days.

 

Dozens of social media users posted condemnations following the murder in January and pointed out that the victim was a lawyer named Zeina Majali who was in her mid-30s.

 

Friends and social media users mourned Majali and described her as a “pleasant, loving and caring person”.