Channels

Photo: Motti Kimchi
Ofer Tzabari, one of four suspects in a sexual offense case.
Photo: Motti Kimchi

Soccer manager, high-ranked officer arrested on suspicion of sex with minors

Hapoel Petah Tikva manager Ofer Tzabari fired in light of allegations that he had sexual relations with players from the youth team; detective suspected of sexual assault of minor.

Police arrested on Tuesday four men suspected of having sex with minors. One of the suspects was a high-ranked officer in a classified unit, and another the manager of the Hapoel Petah Tikva soccer team, Ofer Tzabari.

 

 

According to police, investigators checked the suspects' cellphones and found correspondences showing they had inappropriate contact with at least 15 minors.

 

Ofer Tzabari, the soccer team manager suspected of statutory rape. (Photo: Motti Kimchi)
Ofer Tzabari, the soccer team manager suspected of statutory rape. (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

 

They were brought to the Ayalon District Police, where they were investigated for hours on suspicion of committing sodomy and indecent acts. Police believed the suspects had paid the minors. 

 

Police suspected that there was a connection between the two suspects.

 

Some victims play in youth team

Tzabari was arrested for the first time a few weeks ago on suspicion of running a police officer over. Police said that at the time of the arrest, he was accompanied by a minor with whom he had earlier committed a sexual act, for which Tzabari paid NIS 100.

 

He was suspected of having sex with minors at his work place in the Sharon Hospital in Petah Tikva. Some of his victims, police claimed, were 15-16-year-old soccer players with whom he was in regular contact.

 

At Tzabari's remand hearing, a police representative said that the Bat Yam Police continued its investigation after Tzabari's initial arrest on November 27, and that additional suspicions arose that he had been committing sexual offenses against minors for the past six months.

 

"The more testimony we collect from people, the more we see his way of conduct and how he gains their trust. He gets to certain minors, those who need attention. We have evidence that he knew exactly what he was doing."

 

The head of investigations at the Ayalon District Police, Ronen Shimri, said: "This is a man who took advantage of innocent children who may have been in distress and were seeking his company. As a manager of the team, he committed grave criminal offenses against their will in a small, dark room."

 

The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court extended Tzabari's remand in six days.

 

Following the second arrest, Hapoel Petah Tikva decided to fire Tzabari. He enjoyed support from the team after his first arrest, but on Wednesday there was no one from the club at the court hearing. A team source said the suspicions of sexual offenses changed the picture with regards to Tzabari.

 

Tzabari's lawyer, Attorney Moshe Yochai, said: "There were no sexual offenses committed against a Hapoel Petah Tikva player. The police views every gesture and message from my client as something sexual. I believe the truth will come out. The Bat Yam Police took Tzabari on as a project to abuse him."

 

Officer: 'He told me he was over 16'

The remand of the 40-year-old officer, whose name and position were not cleared for publication, was extended for five days.

 

He was investigated on suspicion of having sex with a teenage boy, who, according to the officer, told him: "Don't worry, I'm over 16." The officer asked to take a polygraph test.

 

According to police, the acts were done with consent and happened three times.

 

Superintendent Ronen Shimri, the head of investigation at the Ayalon District Police, said: "The minor looks less than 16, I've spoken to him."

 

The officer said in his investigation that he was in touch with other teens who were 18 years old.

 

During a search of his home, police found chat logs of conversations he had with minors in the past, as well as phone messages.

 

The officer's lawyer, Attorney Micky Hova, said the officer undergoes polygraph tests on a regular basis as a part of his job. "There were sexual relations, and it's not an offense with those over the age of 16, let alone when it's with consent. The suspect didn't know the age. There's no concern of obstruction from this person. This is a minor who incriminated several people and told them all he was over 16, which is why the officer shouldn't be under arrest over the weekend."

 

The attorney asked that his client is isolated from others while under arrest due to his sensitive security position and concern prisoners will harass him.

 

Detective suspected

Police Internal Investigations Department arrested Tuesday a detective working in the Northern District, Master Sergeant Aharon Natkho, 33, on suspicion of committing sexual offenses with minors.

 

Nazareth Magistrate Court extended his remand Wednesday until Sunday and allowed publication of his name in the hopes that it would encourage additional victims, should they exist, to make complaints.

 

Natkho, a resident of Kfar Kama, has served in the police for 19 years, including eight years at Tiberias Police Station. Investigators believe he conducted sexually-charged conversations with boys and girls aged 12-13 on Facebook. In one instance, he allegedly met a girl and raped her.

 

The complaint against him was made a few weeks ago by someone close to two of the girls, who were around 13. He reported that Natkho was in contact with the girls, and had met with and sexually assaulted one of them.

 

Following the complaint, the Internal Investigations Unit discovered that the detective had sent Facebook messages to other minors.

 

Police did not know if Natkho, who had been absent from work since the investigation was begun, met other children. They said some of the cases involved children with whom the suspect had contact as part of his work in the police.

 

Attorney Ahmed Masalha, the suspect's legal representative, said the detective denied breaking the law. "Everything he did was with people he thought were adults," he said. "He was first investigated three weeks ago and gave a complete account without hiding behind his right to silence."

 

In Wednesday's court hearing, Masalha objected to publication of his client's details.

 

However, the lawyer for the police, Hassan Salah, said the matter held special significance. "The accusers know the suspect, and it's important that we can reach as many victims as possible," he claimed. "His role was to protect the same minors he exploited for sexual purposes, and I don't think the damage that will be done to him as a public figure is stronger than the damage that will be done to minors."

 

Ze'ev Goldsmit contributed to this report.

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.17.14, 15:16
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment