Lahav 433 chief return to post on Sunday despite ongoing investigation
The main suspicion at this stage is that Binyamin assisted an associate in a particularly sensitive investigation.
Assistant-Chief Meni Binyamin, head of Lahav 433, will return to his post this coming Sunday despite the ongoing investigation into suspected breach of trust and misuse of official authority, Israel Police said on Thursday.
Earlier this month, the Justice Ministry’s Police Internal Investigations Department detained Binyamin for questioning under caution.
The main suspicion at this stage is that Binyamin assisted an associate in a particularly sensitive investigation. Following the incident, the police commissioner appointed Deputy Superintendent Eli Makmel, head of the National Fraud Investigations Unit, as acting head in his place.
Binyamin began his career in the Border Police, later transferred to Israel Police, where he established and commanded the Yoav Unit. During his career, he served as commander of the Golan and Migdal HaEmek stations and as operations officer for the Northern District.
THE ISRAEL POLICE conducts its high-level investigations through Lahav 433, the country’s ‘FBI,’ headquartered in this building in Lod. (credit: WIKIPEDIA)
He led one of the largest investigations conducted by Yamar North, the “Ocean” undercover operation, which ran for about a year and resulted in the largest volume of arrests and extensive weapons seizures.
Ben-Gvir publicly supports Benjamin’s right to presumption of innocence
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit), who previously promoted Benjamin to the senior role in the police, expressed his support, emphasizing Benjamin’s right to the presumption of innocence.
In his role as Lahav 433 head, Benjamin was taking the lead of the investigations into corruption at the Histadrut labor federation earlier this month.
Sarah Ben-Nun and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
