Tel Aviv Court Orders Former Police Officer to Pay Compensation for Robbery
A Tel Aviv court ordered a convicted former police officer to pay 354,000 shekels to a foreign worker he robbed during a 2023 raid, drawing sharp judicial condemnation.
A former police officer convicted of extortion and robbery targeting a foreign worker has been ordered to pay 354,000 shekels, plus interest and linkage differentials, alongside 35,000 shekels in legal fees and court costs. The ruling was issued by the Tel Aviv Magistrates' Court following a lawsuit filed by foreign worker Hobi Prashad Bakhusal.
Details of the Incident and Lawsuit
Represented by attorneys Ariel Sharig and Asaf Lafler, Bakhusal filed the civil suit against former officer Nazih Saeb and the State of Israel. According to the lawsuit, the police officer stole 319,500 shekels in cash that Bakhusal was holding on behalf of various foreign workers in 2023. The claim also included allegations of false imprisonment, trespassing, and severe emotional distress.
Foreign workers, primarily from Nepal and India, kept their savings in a safe inside an apartment on Levinsky Street due to fears of theft and a lack of banking alternatives, as many of them cannot open standard bank accounts. The lawsuit stated that the officer entered the apartment, ordered everyone present to leave immediately except for Bakhusal, searched the premises without a search warrant, located the cash, and seized a portion of it.
Court Findings and Judicial Response
In his verdict, Judge Avim Barkai described the allegations against the former officer as exceptionally grave, noting that it involved an extraordinary scenario where a uniformed police officer robbed hundreds of thousands of shekels in cash from the plaintiff. The court noted that Saeb had already been criminally convicted of the events under a plea bargain.
The court stated that Saeb issued a blanket denial but failed to present a full factual defense regarding the robbery allegations.
Out of the stolen funds, 165,000 shekels were previously returned to the plaintiff. The state argued that the criminal sentencing mandated the return of 210,000 shekels, but the plaintiff clarified that this sum encompassed multiple victims, with his specific share amounting to 165,000 shekels. Judge Barkai found this explanation thoroughly well-founded. Consequently, the plaintiff sought an additional 154,000 shekels for the remaining stolen funds, plus 200,000 shekels for false imprisonment, trespassing, and emotional distress.
Legal Team Statement
Attorneys Ariel Sharig and Asaf Lafler stated:
The ruling against former officer Nazih Saeb is a crucial first step toward justice, but the struggle is far from over. This was a horrifying incident where a uniformed officer abused his government authority to rob a helpless foreign worker at gunpoint.
The legal team emphasized that the Israel Police and the State of Israel bear full and heightened vicarious liability in the affair, maintaining that the state cannot shirk responsibility when its enforcement arm becomes an instrument for armed criminality.
