AMMAN — The Criminal Court prosecutor on Wednesday charged a 28-year-old man with three counts of premeditated murder in connection with the alleged stabbing death of his wife and two daughters in Ramtha, official sources said.

 

The suspect’s 24-year-old wife, who is also his cousin, and her two daughters, aged 4 and 2, died while at their home at noon in Ramtha, 90km north of Amman, reportedly after being stabbed to death by the suspect, a senior judicial source said.

 

A third daughter, aged 3, was also stabbed, but survived and rushed to a nearby hospital. She is listed in critical condition, according to the judicial source.

 

“The suspect headed to the nearest police station and turned himself in, claiming to have killed his wife and daughters to cleanse his family’s honour.”

 

In his initial statement to police and to Criminal Court Prosecutor Qahtan Qawaqzeh, the suspect, who fixes bicycles, claimed that he “stabbed and killed his wife, then attacked his three daughters to cleanse his family’s honour”, the source added.

 

Qawaqzeh also charged the suspect with one count of attempted murder and ordered his detention at a correctional and rehabilitation centre for 15 days pending further investigation. 

 

“Qawaqzeh is expected to question family members of both the suspect and the victim to learn more about the incident and the allegations made by the suspect,” the senior judicial source said.

 

A team of government pathologists at the Irbid National Institute of Forensic Medicine, headed by Ali Shotar, performed an autopsy on the three victims, a senior medical source said.

 

“The mother and the four-year-old died of multiple stab wounds to different parts of their bodies, while the two-year-old had her head almost decapitated,” the medical source told The Jordan Times.

 

Public Security Department Spokesperson Lt. Col. Amer Sartawi said there were reports of attacks on properties belonging to the family of the suspect “shortly after the stabbing incident occurred”.

 

“There were minor incidents that involved arson and attacks on properties of the suspect’s family, but the situation was brought under control,” the police official told The Jordan Times.

 

Sartawi added that no one has been arrested in connection with these incidents, adding that “no one was injured either”.