The flagship case of the law enforcement system against Odeh Coutier, a resident of the triangle who is considered the head of a criminal organization so far, ended today (Friday) in plea bargains for the 22 defendants.
Odeh Coutier, the main defendant, pleaded guilty in an amended indictment, after three murders and management of a criminal organization originally attributed to him were erased. The prosecution will seek to impose on him 24 years in prison, which includes serving a suspended sentence. The defense will seek to settle for only 18 years in prison. The families of the murdered have given their consent to the settlement.
The settlement was made on the proposal of Judge Mediator Bnei Sagi of the Tel Aviv District Court and with the approval of the State Attorney. This is due to the lapse of time from the filing of the indictment – four years, the difficulty in conducting the proceedings in light of the large number of defendants and witnesses, which was expected to last for years, and the lengthy sentences agreed upon.
Judge Sagi today convicted the 22 defendants in which he was a minor of serious violent offenses, including aiding and abetting murder, attempted murder, weapons, extortion offenses and tax offenses, each defendant according to his share.
According to the prosecution’s announcement, the plea agreement was formulated at the end of complex mediation proceedings that were conducted before Judge Bnei Sagi.
As stated, as part of the arrangement, it was agreed that the prosecution would seek to impose on Odeh Coutier 24 years in prison, but he escaped the danger he faced – to three life sentences. In addition, Coutier will pay NIS 1.25 million in compensation to the families of the murdered.
Significant prison sentences will be imposed on the other defendants in the case: 18.5 years in prison for tourist Einash; On the accused Sada 17 years imprisonment; Ibrahim Kazamer 19-20 years in prison; The minor is sentenced to 17 years in prison and Mujahed Farage to 18 years in prison.
According to the prosecution, “the plea agreement embodies the continuation of the determined struggle of the law enforcement authorities in the serious crime in the Arab sector.”
The sentencing argument, which is expected to take place in April 2022, due to the need to conduct probation service surveys for some of the young and minor defendants, will be presented to the panel of Judge Yaron Levy.
The prosecution said that at the time of the argument for the sentence, “the prosecution will address all the considerations in its formulation, including the long time that has elapsed without beginning to hear the evidence and the complexity of the case management in the Corona era.”
The indictment was filed in January 2018 after complex police work that included recruiting a state witness from Coutier’s organization and deciphering what was happening in the underworld wars in the center. The original indictment also included three murders and membership in a criminal organization.
Over the past four years, hearings in the case have been postponed many times. Dozens of mediation sessions were held in court, and Judge Sagi met with the parties each separately at all times. As a result of the many postponements, about half of the detainees have been released over the years into house arrest with electronic restraint in light of the passage of time.
The delays in the case were due to the addition of defendants to the indictment, the replacement of representation by some of the defendants and the need to allow the new defense attorneys time to study the vast investigative materials of their scope.
The Corona crisis also led to delays in the hearings as it was not possible to hold hearings in light of the extent of the defendants, prosecutors, defense attorneys and security personnel who were supposed to be in the courtroom, close to 100 people.