Sexual assault victim (stock image)
Sexual assault victim (stock image)i-Stock

The Palestinian Arab accused of raping the 7-year-old girl was brought in Wednesday afternoon for a remand hearing, during which he burst into tears.

The military prosecution asked the court in Ofer to extend the defendant's remand by 10 days.

The defendant's lawyer, Nashef Darwish, said that during the hearing the defendant burst into tears and told police: "Why are you asking for further investigation? What have you done all these days?"

Attorney Darwish told reporters: "There is no new case as was reported, I am unable to explain why. This case will eventually turn out to be an indictment against the investigative bodies "

The prosecution requested that the defendant’s remand be extended in order to carry out further investigation in the case, and in order to exhaust the investigation into suspicions regarding others involved in the rape.

Gadi Siso, head of the Police Investigations Division, and the Military Advocate General, Major General Sharon Afek, decided yesterday to order the Central Unit in the Judea and Samaria District to conduct additional investigations.

The step is unusual, coming as it does after the Military Advocate General submitted an indictment against the suspected Palestinian Arab school janitor to the Ofer Military Court on Sunday following the police investigation.