29 years in prison for a police officer who murdered his wife

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The Lod District Court today (Wednesday) sentenced former police officer Masersha Wasa to 29 years in prison, who murdered his wife Angwatz Wasa in Netanya, in October 2018. The court further ruled that the defendant will compensate his children and his wife’s family with NIS 258,000.
As reported in Israel Today last April, the defendant was convicted that during an argument with his wife and after beating her, he went to the bedroom, took the gun he had in his job as a police officer, returned to the living room and shot his wife one shot that hit her head and caused her death. The court accepted the position of the Department of Police Investigations that the act committed by the defendant constitutes the offense of murder.

Photo: Shmuel Buharis

The court held that the use of the pistol, which is a deadly, short-range weapon, towards the deceased while sitting on a chair, and the injury to the deceased’s head, lead to the conclusion that the natural result of the defendant’s actions is the deceased’s death. An object in her death, and not even that the shooting was carried out accidentally. He himself expressed remorse for the act immediately after his arrest.

The head of the panel, Judge Ruth Lorech, wrote in the sentencing hearing, among other things, regarding the punishment that “consideration should be given to the deterrence of the public, taking into account the need to convey a clear and unequivocal message about the severity of violence against a spouse “A man, against the background of a random argument between spouses in their home. The Supreme Court reiterated that violent offenses against women committed within the family cell will be treated particularly harshly, and that severe and dissuasive punishment is required.”

The family members of the deceased received the sentence with satisfaction even though they were awaiting life imprisonment (indefinite period of imprisonment). “It does not alleviate the pain but at least the punishment is severe,” they said. The prosecution has however announced that it will consider appealing the sentence and requesting life imprisonment.

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