4.5 years in prison for a crime he did not commit – and 0 shekels in damages: The legal absurdity of the Salomon Radai case

Salomon Radai spent four and a half years in detention on murder charges before being unanimously acquitted by the district court. During the criminal trial, it was determined that the indictment was based on meager, null evidence and resulted from a problematic interrogation process. At that time, the court awarded him 600,000 shekels in compensation.

However, Radai later filed a civil lawsuit for false imprisonment, which the district court rejected entirely, ruling that the filing of the indictment had been "reasonable." This contradictory decision, coupled with repeated interrogations in court, has severely worsened the mental health of Radai, who suffers from trauma and ongoing distress.

The Criminal Trial and Acquittal

During the criminal proceedings, it was revealed that a police agent had been placed in Radai's cell to pressure him into making incriminating statements. The three judges who issued the acquittal emphasized that the evidence at the time of the indictment was virtually non-existent. A representative of the State Attorney's Office at the time acknowledged that mistakes had been made.

Rejection of the Civil Lawsuit

Following his acquittal, Radai filed a civil lawsuit against the state. The district court hearing the civil case reached a conclusion diametrically opposed to the criminal verdict, ruling that the state's actions were reasonable. This ruling effectively denied Radai any further compensation.

"Every day I die and rise"

Reflecting on the state's conduct, Salomon Radai stated:

"The police and the State Attorney's Office did not even ask for forgiveness. For four and a half years, I have been dying and rising every day. Since my release, I have no girlfriend, no family, and no one. Three judges acquitted me, yet I am still being interrogated in court. Is what I went through not enough? I live on pills and had many suicide attempts in prison. To this day, I cannot find my way."

Supreme Court Appeal

Following the district court's civil ruling, an appeal was filed with the Supreme Court. Although the appeal was accepted, the hearing is not scheduled until March 2028—nearly two years after its filing. Attorney Eli Helem, representing Radai, remarked: "The case of Salomon Radai is staggering. One district court verdict states the indictment was filed without any foundation, while another states it was filed reasonably. This has caused fatal, immense damage to the rights of Salomon Radai, who sat in prison for 4.5 years while completely innocent."