Supreme Court Upholds 14-Year Prison Sentence for Contractor Over Deadly Ramming
The Supreme Court upheld a 14-year prison sentence for contractor Nissim Suah, convicted of killing a police volunteer and injuring an officer in a 2021 car ramming.
The Supreme Court has upheld the 14-year prison sentence handed down to contractor Nissim Suah, the former chairman of the Hapoel Arraba football club. Suah was convicted of killing police volunteer Hossam Zaghir and seriously injuring police officer Amir Abu Rish in Nahariya in September 2021. The ruling, issued on Wednesday, dismissed cross-appeals filed by both the prosecution and the defense regarding the severity of the sentence.
Supreme Court Ruling
A panel of judges, headed by Supreme Court President Isaac Amit and joined by Justices Yael Willner and Ruth Ronen, ruled that while the sentence is severe, the gravity of the actions and their tragic consequences could have justified an even harsher punishment.
The 14-year actual prison sentence imposed on the appellant in the district court judgment is a severe punishment. However, the acts for which the appellant was convicted and the severe consequences caused by his actions may even justify a harsher punishment, the judges stated.
Nevertheless, the justices clarified that an appellate court does not typically maximize the full severity of the law, and that established policy regarding interference with sentences handed down by trial courts must be taken into account.
The Deadly Incident in Nahariya
The incident took place during the Sukkot holiday in September 2021 on HaAliya Street in Nahariya. Police volunteer Hossam Zaghir and police officer Amir Abu Rish, both residents of Yarka, were dispatched to the scene following complaints about noise from infrastructure work carried out by laborers at a construction site on the holiday.
Suah, who managed the operations, arrived at the scene, leading to a confrontation between him and the officers. After being informed that he was under arrest, he entered his Audi vehicle, drove in reverse, ran over the two men, and fled the scene. Zaghir, 32, was killed in the ramming attack, and Abu Rish was seriously injured.
Plea Bargain and Legal Proceedings
Suah was initially charged with indifference murder, but under a plea bargain, the indictment was amended. He admitted and was convicted of reckless homicide, aggravated assault, and fleeing the scene after an accident.
In July 2024, the Haifa District Court sentenced him to 14 years in prison, probation, and ordered him to pay 258,000 shekels in compensation to the family of the slain volunteer and an identical sum to the injured officer. The Audi vehicle used in the ramming was confiscated and sold to cover part of the compensation.
