The judge who surprised the police: just before an indictment - released a key suspect in an extortion case

The judge of the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court, Erez Melamed, ordered the release of a suspect who was aided by a criminal organization in the north to allegedly extort a resident of Majdal Chrome, and demanded the sum of NIS 200,000.

Only after the police appealed to the district court, it was decided to extend the suspect's detention, and today a prosecutor's statement was filed against him

Shlomi Heller

11/09/2022

Sunday, September 11, 2022, 9:13 p.m. Updated: 9:51 p.m.

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The Magistrate's Court (Photo: Uri Sela)

Despite the progress in the investigation and the police's announcement of the filing of a prosecutor's statement in preparation for an indictment, Arrest Judge at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court, Erez Melamed, decided last week to release to house arrest a suspect, 61 years old, of involvement in extortion with the help of the northern crime organization Abu Latif.

Only after the police petitioned the district court, the suspect's detention was extended.

At the end of an undercover investigation that was conducted in recent months by the National Unit for Combating Economic Crime (YALK) in Lahab 433, several suspects who belong to the Abu Latif crime organization from the northern region were arrested in recent days. The arrested are suspected of being involved in a series of incidents of violence, threats and throwing explosives and grenades at the home of an extortion victim in Majdal Chrom. The investigation began following the dropping of a bomb that exploded and caused damage to the home of a resident of the north, who was allegedly blackmailed by Lios and other factors associated with the Abu Latif family due to a debt of NIS 200,000.

During the hearing, Lius' defense attorney, the lawyer Kamil Odeh, claimed that this was an unusual arrest since his client was previously arrested and released as part of the investigation of the case.

"It is not customary for the same investigating unit to return and arrest the person it itself released," he claimed.

In his decision, the judge explained that "the suspect's version is not in line with materials presented to the court in remand extensions. However, it is not possible to ignore the investigation materials that teach about the involvement of the other suspects in the violent crime that was forced on the suspect Har Kagigit."

Arrested in handcuffs (Photo: ShutterStock)

Judge Melamed also added in the release decision, "In his last interrogation, the suspect chose to maintain his right to remain silent, which is a strengthening of the evidentiary infrastructure, but it is not impossible that this choice is related to the fear expressed by the suspect. In my opinion, the existing investigative materials were capable of justifying his re-arrest on two occasions, But not beyond that."

In appealing the suspect's release to house arrest, the police wrote that the complainant's family still felt in danger.

"Threats and debt collection have become a common scourge, especially among criminal organizations, and harm public peace," the appeal states.

The suspicion that arises in this case is that the

suspect ordered extortion through a third party from Khaled Abu Latif, who is an associate and a representative of the criminal organization that threatens mainly in the northern region and there is a real fear of him."

Melamed, and ordered the extension of the suspect's detention by three days.

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