A defamation suit filed by an officer from the Judea and Samaria investigative unit against right-wing activists may lead to the disclosure of documents and new evidence in the death of Ahuvya Sandak, five years after he was killed in a police chase.
The officer, who at the time served in the district's detective unit, filed a defamation claim for NIS 220,000 against six activists who called him, a murderer over his role in the incident in which Sandak was killed during a police chase in Kochav HaShachar in December 2020.
The case began after police detectives chased a vehicle carrying five teens from the Hilltop Youth suspected of throwing stones at Palestinian Arab cars. During the pursuit, the police vehicle collided with the fleeing car, which overturned and killed Sandak.
The officers involved in the incident were questioned several days later, but the investigation file against them was closed without an indictment. By contrast, the four remaining youths were prosecuted and sentenced to community service.
Attorney Menashe Yado, representing the activists on behalf of the organization Honenu, filed a defense claiming that the accusation was true and so not defamation.
Because the plaintiff is the officer who was present at the incident, the activists hope it will be possible to summon him to the witness stand, which may open the door to the disclosure of reports, recordings and photographs that have not so far been presented.
According to Attorney Yado, "Ahuvya's soul cries out from the ground. The incident was whitewashed and in defense statement argues that the evidence shows that other officers beat Ahuvya Sandak to death."