According to N12, the female Israel Prison Service officer arrested this morning is suspected of giving her phone to an inmate with whom she had a romantic relationship. The inmate used the phone to conceal the location of his fugitive brother, the main suspect in the murder of Beniahu Razi.
The new details in the Beniahu Razi murder investigation, reported by N12, indicate that the Israel Prison Service officer arrested this morning is suspected of giving her personal phone to an inmate with whom she had a romantic relationship. The inmate, Rotem Hodida, is the brother of the primary murder suspect Avior Sasson. According to the report, Hodida used the phone to conceal his brother's location, aiding him in evading capture.
The officer was arrested earlier today (Tuesday, 11:09 Jerusalem time) on suspicion of obstruction of investigation and breach of trust. Initial reports from multiple Israeli news outlets revealed that a covert investigation had uncovered a suspected romantic relationship between the officer and Hodida, who is incarcerated in the same prison where she serves. The officer has denied the allegations, stating through i24NEWS that she met Sasson only once, in the wing she commands. The suspicion of providing the phone adds a concrete alleged act to the previously reported suspicions of aiding the escape.
The case stems from the murder of Beniahu Razi in Jerusalem. The main suspect, Avior Sasson, was arrested Tuesday afternoon (14:59 Jerusalem) inside a taxi near the Harel Tunnel, bringing an end to a weeklong manhunt, as The Zioneer reported. The manhunt had involved the arrest of several of Sasson's relatives, including his 15-year-old sister, as part of pressure tactics.
The investigation into the full scope of the officer's alleged involvement continues. It remains unclear how the phone was obtained and used, and whether additional individuals were involved in concealing Sasson's location.
6 developments
- DevelopingRelative of Fugitive Suspect Arrested in Beniahu Razi Murder
- StrongTwo suspects in Beniahu Razi murder get extended detention as manhunt continues
- StrongSuspect in Jerusalem murder is IDF soldier with toxic history with victim
- StrongCourt Extends Detention of Suspect in Beniahu Razi Murder by 4 Days
Source and signal
- Open-source intake