Itamar Ben-Gvir
Itamar Ben-GvirMiriam Alster/Flash 90

A Jerusalem apartment owner will be awarded no less than 10,000 shekels by police - despite the fact that police found drugs in his apartment - due to the fact that police carried out a search of his apartment without a warrant.

In April 2015, a pair of policemen burst into a Jerusalem apartment, following suspicions that the apartment owner and his friend had committed an offense.

While the owner of the apartment refused to let police into the apartment, as they did not have a search warrant as is required by law, police removed the apartment owner and his friend and proceeded to search the apartment anyway.

According to the suit, filed by the apartment owner through his attorney, Itamar Ben-Gvir, police caused damage during their search, and found a quantity of hashish large enough for individual use. An indictment was then submitted against the apartment owner for drug possession.

When, however, the court discovered that the police search had taken place without a warrant, the indictment was erased.

Two weeks ago, the Jerusalem Magistrate Court ordered police to compensate the complainant 10,000 shekels, plus 2,800 shekels for attorney fees and 625 shekels for other expenses.

Attorney Ben-Gvir, who represented the complainant, commented, “Every policeman needs to understand that, in order to burst into the house of a civilian, he must meet the requirements of the law.”

According to police, “The court’s decision will be learned, and the required lessons taken from it where needed.”