A Jordanian criminal court sentenced the kingdom's ex-intelligence chief on Sunday to 13 years and three months in jail for embezzlement of public funds, money laundering and abuse of office.

It was the harshest sentence in years against such a high-profile personality in Jordan.

Presiding judge Nashaat Akhras also demanded in court that defendant Mohammed al-Dahabi pay 21 million Jordanian dinars ($29.6 million) in fines to the state and return money he allegedly laundered and embezzled during his 2005-08 tenure as head of Jordanian intelligence. The judge said the amount is estimated at 24 million dinars.