Oleg Shaichat
Photo: Reproduction
Murdered soldier's case laid to rest
State to recompense two men falsely accused in kidnapping, murder case of IDF soldier Oleg Shaichat; pay NIS 1 million in damages
The State will recompense Yousuf Sabih and Sharif Eid from the village of Cana with NIS 1 million (about $267,000) for wrongly accusing them of the kidnapping and murder of IDF
solider Oleg Shaichat
from Nazareth Illit.
Nazareth District Court Judge Yitzhak Cohen ratified the settlement signed between the State and the two accused.
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The State will also pay NIS 175,000 (about $47,000) in attorney fees, but will avoid "admission of culpability" in the mishap.Shaichat was kidnapped and killed in an olive grove between the village of Cana and Nazareth in 2003. At first, the two were accused alongside an additional person, but later, members of the self-proclaimed terror cell "Free People of the Galilee," were arrested.
Sabih and Eid's Attorney Avigdor Feldman told Ynet that these are "only words": "The State clearly failed in the investigation, which led to the eight-month incarceration of innocent people.
"The fundamental failures were in the faulty forensic analysis. I think that this is a reasonable settlement which reflects the damages done to my clients."
Anbetawi to serve life sentence (Photo: Hagai Aharon)
In 2006, the Nazareth District Court ruled that the State pay the third defendant, Tariq Nujidat, 25, a compensation of NIS 450,000 (about $120,000). Nujidat was also arrested and charged with the murder, but the charges were later dropped and he was released.
The three spent eight months in jail prior to their release. Once out of prison, their attorneys began negotiating damages with the State.
According to the settlement, the State will recompense Sabih and Eid to the amount of NIS 500,000 each.
Nujidat was arrested three weeks after the murder. In proceedings held at the Nazareth Magistrate's Court in August 2003, Nujidat confessed again to committing the crime and reconstructed it in the face of the investigators.
He later went back on his word, pleaded not guilty and claimed that the confessions were made under pressure and threats and that everything he relayed came from the media and fellow villagers.
In December 2007, the Nazareth District Court ruled that 23-year-old Muhammad Anbetawi from the village of Cana will receive a life sentence for the murder of Shaichat.
Anbetawi, a member of "Free People of the Galilee" was convicted for kidnapping, activity and membership in a terror organization and four attempted soldier kidnappings. He received a life sentence.
Anbetawi drove the Subaru used to kidnap Shaichat and his accomplice, Muhammad Hatib, sat in the back seat. Shaichat was abducted and strangled by Hatib during the drive to the olive grove, where they shot and buried him.
Members of the terrorist cell were caught in 2004 after committing a line of shooting attacks on security vehicles. The Free People of Galilee members used Shaichat's weapon during their attack at the Beit Rimon Junction in which Hatib was killed.
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