Eritrean convicted of raping 83-year-old
Foreign national confesses to south Tel Aviv crime, claims he was drunk. 'There's no rule of law,' says local activist in response
An Eritrean foreign national accused of raping an 83-year-old woman in south Tel Aviv was convicted after he confessed to the crime, claiming he performed the act while drunk.
The Tel Aviv District Court found him guilty on Thursday of rape, sodomy and abuse.
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The man's name is currently under a gag order since a dispute over his date of birth has yet to determine whether he is a minor.
Convict at the court (Photo: Moti Kimchi)
The crime was performed about three months ago, but the story was delayed because the police wanted to prevent an inflammation of the tense situation in south Tel Aviv.
The court was supposed to hear the victim's testimony on Thursday, but the accused decided to confess to the charges beforehand.
Scene of the crime (Photo: Moti Kimchi)
He admitted to a revised indictment, but the sides were unable to reach a compromise regarding his sentence.
The Prosecutor's Office is expected to ask for a long jail time, claiming the convict is 21 and should bear full responsibility.
Conversely, the convict's attorney, insisting his client is only 17, will ask for a reduced sentence.
The Eritrean was accused that on December 21, he charged the elderly woman while she was sitting in
her yard.
She started calling for help, but the convict gagged her mouth, threw her onto a mattress lying in the yard and raped her.
The woman kept screaming and he beat her in the face and slapped her continuously.
The woman continued to resist, but "he continued for hours despite her tears, screams, pleas and begs
for him to stop," says the indictment.
The convict stopped only when the woman's relatives arrived and scared him off.
According to the indictment, the woman was caused "physical and mental trauma, as well as bruises and bleedings," requiring a week's hospitalization.
The crime raised a local uproar and residents demonstrated in south Tel Aviv, protesting the police ineptitude in dealing with foreign nationals.
The demonstrators hoisted posters denigrating Africans and called for their deportation.
Sima Nisani, a south Tel Aviv resident and activist, said that "there's non-stop rape and crime. The streets
are full of infiltrators and their businesses even though none of them pays taxes."
"Israeli businesses in the neighborhood have all gone under; there is no one to sell to. Where is the mayor? Why isn’t he taking care of this? The area is not safe for a mother with a stroller or for a child returning from school. There is no law, and it's a crying shame."
