BREAKING NEWS

Commander of 'Israel's FBI' named as latest cop at center of sexual harassment allegation

NOVEMBER 29, 2015 18:01

The commander of LAHAV 433 –widely-referred to as “Israel’s FBI” – is the subject of a sexual harassment investigation.

A gag order banning the publication of Assistant Chief Roni Ritman’s name in connection to the investigation expired on Sunday.

The incident in question involves a female police officer subordinate to Ritman, and happened around five years ago. In statements to the press this week, associates of Ritman’s have referred to the allegations as a “witch-hunt” by a rival of Ritman’s looking to settle scores.

On Wednesday Ritman was questioned under caution by investigators from the Justice Ministry’s Police Investigative Division.

Ritman took over as head of Lahav 433 over a year and a half ago, after his predecessor Menashe Arbiv resigned amid allegations that he took bribes from Rabbi Yehoshua Pinto, then the subject of a police investigation.

Ritman is the latest in a long line of top police commanders linked to sexual harassment investigations in recent years. Of these, at least six have resigned or been terminated due to the allegations against them.

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