Israel Police has fabricated evidence in the Tair Rada murder case of 2006 in order to convict Roman Zadorov, former deputy Shin Bet director Yitzhak Ilan said Thursday in an interview with Radio 103fm.
"Just like it is crystal-clear that Suleiman el-Abid did not commit the murder" of Hanit Kikos 27 years ago, it is obvious "Zadorov did not commit the murder of Tair Rada," said Ilan. Abid was released from prison Wednesday after serving 27 years for the 1993 rape and murder of Kikos.
According to N12, Abid confessed to the murder of Kikos, reenacting the act before the body was found. Kikos' body was later discovered in a place different than the one Abid mentioned to police. Abid was eventually convicted based on his confession.
"It is unbelievably infuriating to see an entire system convict an innocent person, sentence him to life in prison, leaving him no options," Ilan said.
13-year-old Rada's body was found dismembered and with multiple stab wounds in a bathroom stall at the Nofei Golan high school in the town of Katzrin in the Golan Heights. Zadorov, the school custodian and an immigrant from post-Soviet Moldova, was arrested a week later.
He confessed to murdering the girl with a utility knife and was found guilty of the murder in September 2010. He was sentenced to life in prison with an additional two years for obstruction of justice. He later recanted his confession and appealed his conviction in 2013 and 2014.
The Supreme Court upheld Zadorov's conviction throughout the series of appeals submitted by his attorneys. Zadorov's conviction remains a controversial topic as not all the details in his confession matched the evidence on scene, including the type of blade used to murder and dismember Rada.
A true crime documentary called Shadow of Truth aired in March 2016, suggesting another suspect for the crime. The woman, a former resident of Katzrin referred to as O.K., allegedly confessed to the murder as well. O.K., who suffers from schizophrenia, claimed the "confession" was made up by her ex-boyfriend who allegedly raped her.
The man was arrested for several days for the rape of O.K., later being released by police. O.K. suffered a psychotic break following the incident and was hospitalized in a mental health facility.
Later in 2016, a document outlining the man's report to police was found, according to Walla. The document, the details of which were different than the man's subsequent report, strengthened suspicions he intended on falsely incriminating his ex-girlfriend.
In October 2018, Ynet reported a hair found in the scene of Rada's murder matched the mitochondrial profile of O.K.'s ex-boyfriend. It was also reported that a wig matching the man's claim was found near the area. Although classified as a "concealed detail" used to corroborate future confessions, the wig was reportedly never studied as forensic evidence.
Between 50-75 unidentified hairs found on Rada's body would be submitted for forensic DNA testing financed by the Justice Ministry, Israeli media reported the same year.
In 2019, Zadorov's lawyer, Attorney Yarom Halevy petitioned the Forensic Medicine Institute in regards to additional evidence from the scene, and the State Attorney's Office later admitted that there were flaws in the investigation as some of the evidence was cataloged incorrectly.
Halevy later petitioned the court for retrial in light of the new evidence.
"I will give you a horrifying example," Ilan told Radio 130fm. "The majority of the State Attorney's Office's arguments against Roman Zadorov's retrial were the likes of, 'you had to do it in a District Court,'" he continued.
"Since you have not raised it in a District Court, there is no sense in petitioning for retrial. Issues that could be raised in a District Court and were not, are not included in retrial petitions," said the office, according to Ilan.
He continued accusing the justice system of fabricating evidence against the man."The officers lied in court, fabricated documents in court, stitched Zadorov up, conducted an intentionally-negligent investigation into O.K. and [her ex-boyfriend] so the truth of their disgrace in the Zadorov investigation would not be found," Ilan said.
Criminal Affairs reporter Guy Peleg confronted Ilan with the fact Zadorov was filmed in his cell confessing to the murder while whispering to his cellmate."Whoever says that a whisper means the person did what he whispers, is making a grave mistake," Ilan said.
"I have heard false confessions. I know what false confessions are, and whispering does not mean it is not a false confession," the former Shin Bet official said.