Attorney Shmuel Fleishman, represents Gaffin Sharif, who is suspected of rape in Holon/Erez Harel
A confrontation took place a few days ago between the suspect Gaffin Sharif, and the victim who was allegedly raped by him on Saturday in Holon.
During the confrontation, Sharif continued to claim that he did not remember the incident because he was under the influence of alcohol, and apologized to the victim.
His detention was extended today (Thursday) at the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court.
The victim, a 60-year-old resident of the city, went for a morning run that Saturday, when a 25-year-old asylum seeker from the Ivory Coast came up behind her and raped her.
During the confrontation, the victim blamed him for everything that happened to her that day.
Sharif, for his part, returned and claimed that he did not remember the incident.
However, the suspect contradicted his words and linked himself to the incident when he told the victim that "I apologize for hurting you in that incident."
Finally, the Magistrate's Court in Tel Aviv ordered the extension of Sharif's detention by 6 days.
Gaffin Sharif, suspected of committing rape in Holon/Erez Harel
During the court hearing, the police representative claimed that there are many findings that strengthen the reasonable suspicion that Sharif is the one who committed the act of rape.
Among other things, DNA samples were taken and sent to the laboratory, where it was discovered that the sample matched Sharif's identity. In addition, photos documenting injuries on the victim's body and other documents were shown.
Attorney Shmuel Fleishman, who represents the suspect on behalf of the public defender's office, claimed that the investigating unit did not respected the basic rights of the suspect.
"At the previous hearing, I requested that the investigating unit take the phone, open it and give me the phone number of the suspect's friend, so that I can contact him and inform him that his friend is under arrest and that way the suspect's family will also be deceived," asserted Attorney Fleishman. "It turned out that the Israel Police think that in the State of Israel this should not be done.
"Unfortunately, only after I spoke with the suspect did it become clear to me that no one had let him do that, meaning that for three days no one knew he was under arrest," he said.
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"Due to the danger posed by it."
The detention of Gaffin Sharif/Erez Harel was extended
At the time of the decision, Judge Avital Amsalem Gilboa stated that there is a reason to extend the suspect's detention.
This, due to the perceived danger of him and the fear of disrupting the investigation procedures.
The judge also added that there is a possibility of filing a prosecutor's statement against him at the next hearing.
All the findings presented by the police, as well as the confrontation between the suspect and the victim, strengthened the claim of reasonable suspicion.
According to the suspicion, on Saturday in the morning, the victim went out for a sporting activity, and as usual ran a track in the city that she knows well.
After she turned around and turned to go back, a sheriff emerged from behind and attacked her.
A sheriff is suspected of strangling the woman by her neck, slamming her to the floor and then raping her.
The complainant described the sequence of events to the police investigators in detail, and the next day Sharif was already arrested.
The suspect has a criminal record for assaulting a partner, for which he previously served seven months in prison.
We also complained against him earlier for a protected act he committed, but the investigation file was closed.
The offense attributed to him at this stage of the investigation is based on non-free consent.
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Holon
rape
sexual offenses