Eritrean migrant arrested for rape of 83-year-old woman

on Monday 30th Dec.. Israel police  released information about a brutal rape that took place in the area of Tel Aviv's Old Central Bus Station over a week ago. An Eritrean national in his twenties was arrested on Monday a week ago on suspicion that he raped an 83-year-old woman in the yard of her home on Erlinger Street. The two-hour ordeal ended when her nephew came to visit her. The old woman is currently in stable condition. The suspect will be served with an indictment in the coming days.

The suspect leaving his detenton assessment on Monday

On the afternoon of Friday Dec. 21, Tel Aviv police arrived at the scene, where they encountered the 83-year-old woman and her nephew. The woman was transported to Wolfson Hospital in Holon's Center for Sexual Assault Victims. The woman testified that she had been on her way home at 10 a.m. when the suspect saw her and dragged her into the yard of her house. There, for about two hours, he brutally raped the woman until her nephew came to visit her. At that point the suspect fled.

Immediately upon receiving the complaint the police launched an investigation. Within a few days they managed to track down the suspect, who was known to police for property crimes. He did not cooperate during his investigation but the police have enough evidence, including DNA samples, to put him on trial. On Monday morning the police announced plans to serve an indictment against him within five days as well as a request to remand him until the conclusion of legal proceedings against him.

The police are stressing that this is an isolated and unusual incident. In the past year, there have only been two rapes in the area by foreign migrants, they said. Police came under criticism Monday for only releasing the information about the incident a week after it occurred.

The alleged victim has been living on Erlinger Street for many years, where several murders of prostitutes have taken place in recent years. Most of the brothels in the area of the Old Central Bus Station are on the street.

Speaking to reporters, Yiftach District Commander David Gaz appeared unaware that there were many brothels on the street and said, "I don't know if this happened near a brothel because I wasn't there."

Gaz said he does not believe there will be disturbances of the peace following the incident because it is an isolated occurrence. "In any case, we are deployed in great numbers due to New Year celebrations, but I don't believe there will be disturbances because the public is not stupid and will not take an isolated incident and turn it into something sweeping."