A female Israel Prison Service officer arrested on suspicion of aiding fugitive murder suspect Avior Sasson's escape has denied the allegations, according to i24NEWS. The officer said she met Sasson only once, in the wing she commands. She is also suspected of conducting a romantic relationship with his brother, Rotem Hodida, an inmate in the same prison.
The female Israel Prison Service officer arrested Tuesday morning in connection with the manhunt for fugitive murder suspect Avior Sasson has denied the allegations against her, speaking through i24NEWS. The officer acknowledged meeting Sasson only once, in the wing she commands, and rejected claims that she helped him escape or conducted a romantic relationship with his brother Rotem Hodida, an inmate in the same prison. The denial is the first public response from the officer since her arrest earlier Tuesday.
Initial reports at 11:09 Jerusalem time indicated the officer was arrested on suspicion of obstruction of justice and breach of trust. Within the same hour, additional reporting from N12 and other Israeli outlets revealed that a covert investigation had uncovered an alleged romantic relationship between the officer and Hodida, and that she was suspected of aiding Sasson's escape. The officer's denial now directly challenges those allegations.
The manhunt for Sasson, the main suspect in the murder of Beniahu Razi, has seen other developments in recent days. As The Zioneer reported on July 23, police arrested Sasson's 15-year-old sister as a strategic step to pressure him to turn himself in. On July 27, the sister denied allegations that associates had tried to persuade her to take responsibility for the murder.
The officer's claims have not been independently verified, and the investigation into the alleged relationship and the escape remains ongoing. The manhunt for Avior Sasson continues.
5 developments
- DevelopingRelative of Fugitive Suspect Arrested in Beniahu Razi Murder
- StrongNew details: Avior Sasson hid with crime organizations in the north, aided by brother and IPS officer
- StrongSuspect in Jerusalem murder is IDF soldier with toxic history with victim
- StrongPolicewoman suspected in Binyahu Razi murder case says she was not given other instructions
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