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Worka and Wbjig Tekah hold a picture of their son Solomon Tekah, 19, who was killed by a police officer on July 1, 2019, at their home in the Israeli city of Haifa (Menahem Kahana/AFP)

Police who shot dead Ethiopian-Israeli, released from house arrest, faces court order
 
By:
Mon, 15 Jul 2019   ||   Nigeria,
 

An Israeli police officer whose killing of a 19-year-old Ethiopian-Israeli sparked nationwide protests was freed from house arrest Monday but faces court-ordered restrictions in light of expected charges of reckless homicide.

The suspect is barred from entering the Zevulun police station for 45 days and is prevented from visiting the scene of the killing.

A representative of the Justice Ministry’s Police Internal Investigations Department told the Haifa Magistrate’s Court that a decision has not yet been made on whether the officer will be allowed to return to work, Channel 13 news reported.

The officer, who has not been publicly named, was off duty when he shot Solomon Tekah on June 30 in Haifa. He has claimed he was trying to break up a street fight and was set upon by three youths who hurled stones at him, endangering his life. He said he did not target Tekah, and instead fired at the ground.

The officer is expected to face charges of reckless homicide, which carries a sentence of up to 12 years in jail. This new categorization, which came into existence five days ago in a justice system reform, is applicable when a suspect is thought to have taken an unreasonable risk but without the intention of causing death — e.g., playing with a loaded weapon or driving dangerously.

According to Hebrew-language media reports Monday, the PIID said the investigation into the shooting has been completed and the case transferred to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

 

 

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