Ex-top cop in sex crimes case set to walk free after court overrules appeal

Court rejects prosecution appeal against granting parole to Nissan Shaham after less than six months of his 10-month sentence

By ToI Staff 18 August 2022, 2:27 pm 1 Edit

Former Jerusalem District Commander, Nissan 'Niso' Shaham, at the district court in Tel Aviv on December 10, 2018. (Flash90)

Despite an appeal by prosecutors, a former Jerusalem police chief will be granted early release from his 10-month sentence stemming from his conviction on sex crimes charges.

A court ruling on Thursday upheld a decision by a prison parole board last month to grant early release to Nissan “Niso” Shaham, who began serving his sentence in March, rejecting an appeal filed by prosecutors.

According to Hebrew media reports, Shaham could be released as early as Sunday if prosecutors do not file an additional appeal.

An attorney for the former cop told the Kan public broadcaster that she was “happy that the case is coming to a close after 10 years, and that Shaham can return to his family members and to his private life.”

Shaham was first convicted in April 2018 for kissing a junior officer several years earlier, but was acquitted of the other charges filed against him. Prosecutors had claimed that on several occasions Shaham had coerced police officers into sleeping with him, and later made decisions about their careers.

He was sentenced in December 2018 to community service, but in September 2019, the Tel Aviv District Court accepted the prosecution’s appeal, overturned the decision to clear Shaham of sexual harassment, fraud, and breach of trust, and convicted him of the original charges.

Former Jerusalem District commander Niso Shaham arrives at Tzalmon Prison to begin his prison sentence on March 1, 2022. (Basel Awidat/Flash90)

In February 2020 he was slapped with a 10-month prison sentence along with five months of probation and several fines. After several unsuccessful appeals, Shaham entered prison on March 1, 2022.

If he is released next week, he will have served less than six months of his 10-month sentence.

Last month, the parole board noted that had managed to “conduct an in-depth reflection and understand that this is unacceptable behavior” and has expressed sincere remorse. It also said that the prisoner had presented a private rehabilitation program and that one of his victims did not oppose his parole.

But in filing their appeal, prosecutors claimed that Shaham “did not take responsibility for his actions and sees no fault in them.”