Cassation court hands maximum sentence to convicts in underage molestation, robbing case

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation on Wednesday overturned a November Criminal Court ruling sentencing two men to five years in prison after convicting them of robbing and molesting a teenager in October 2014.

The court, on October 27, declared the defendants guilty of robbing and molesting the 17-year-old boy and handed them a 10-year prison term each, only to immediately reduce the sentence to five years and six months, because the victim dropped the charges.

Nonetheless, the higher court ruled that the charges for both defendants stipulate a maximum punishment of 22 years in prison, since the victim is less than 18, court documents explained.

“The two defendants should not benefit from any reduction in penalty because of the severity of their crimes and because the victim is a minor,” the Court of Cassation ruled.

Therefore, the higher court maintained, the case file will be sent back to the Criminal Court “to review the charges and issue the proper punishment [accordingly]”.

Court documents said the defendants took the victim for a ride to the Dead Sea.

Upon reaching their destination, the transcripts added, “the two beat up the teenager and robbed him of his mobile, watch, a gold chain and JD8”.

“The two defendants then molested the child and were in the process of returning to Amman when they were pulled over by a police patrol and the victim notified them of the assault against him,” according to court documents.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Majid Azab, Yassin Abdullat and Nayef Samarat.