Court Extends Remand of Suspect in 10-Year-Old Yahli Sofer Kidnapping
A Petah Tikva court extended the remand of the suspect in 10-year-old Yahli Sofer's kidnapping by five days, as police revealed new evidence and additional complaints of harassment and threats.
The Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court extended the remand of the suspect in the abduction of 10-year-old Yahli Sofer by five additional days on Thursday. This marks the fourth time the suspect's detention has been prolonged.
During the hearing, Judge Oren Boaz authorized the publication of the suspect's name, but issued a stay of execution to allow defense attorney Noam Gutman to appeal the decision to the District Court.
New Evidence and Additional Victims
A police representative stated during the proceedings that Yahli provided investigators with new details this week that were not mentioned in his initial testimony, which "strengthen and reinforce the suspicion against the detainee." According to the police, the suspect took the child to a shelter at a certain point, from which the boy managed to escape, prompting the suspect to chase after him before an alert citizen spotted the child and called the police.
The police representative added that significant developments have emerged in the investigation, revealing that the 19-year-old homeless man from Jerusalem is also suspected in two additional cases involving harm to other children. Following the initial publication of Yahli's case, parents of two girls and another boy approached law enforcement to report that they recognized the suspect as the individual who harmed their children. Police noted that one incident involved harassment and threats, while another featured the possession of a knife and threats.
Judicial Assessment and Defense
Investigators also detailed an incident that occurred several months ago in Hadera, where the suspect allegedly waited outside the homes of two girls whose addresses he knew, terrifying them. The police argued that while the incidents do not temporally overlap, they demonstrate a clear pattern of severe danger and a cumulative behavioral profile.
The suspicion regarding the primary charge of kidnapping remains intact and at a high threshold, and the evidentiary framework has even grown stronger. I have been presented with a statement gathered regarding an additional complaint that establishes reasonable suspicion of harassment and threats toward her and another young person.
— Judge Oren Boaz
The suspect has denied the kidnapping allegations during questioning, claiming instead that he encountered the boy on the street after the child got lost and that he was merely assisting him in returning home.
