President, justice minister, judiciary mourn death of Beersheba District Court chief

President Isaac Herzog says he is “shocked and pained by the tragic death” of Beersheba District Court President Benny Sagi, 54, who was killed when a vehicle crashed into his motorcycle on Route 6 this evening.

“Judge Sagi was a brilliant and sharp jurist, a wonderful judge who combined great professional knowledge with extraordinary honesty,” says Herzog.

“I was constantly impressed from afar by the rare combination he showed: A judge of stature and authority, with a moving personal story, who was known first and foremost as a man of values, humble and kind, who always saw the person standing in front of him and strove for peace and reconciliation.”

Herzog adds, “The judicial system lost one of its finest sons and leaders today.”

Justice Minister Yariv Levin says he was “shocked and deeply saddened” to learn of Sagi’s death, describing him as “a brilliant jurist, an exceptional judge, well-liked and respected by lawyers and litigants alike.”

Levin says Sagi transformed his court “from the very beginning of his term into a court that enjoyed broad public trust,” and that “his broad professional knowledge gave him stature as a professional and administrative authority, both among his fellow judges, among lawyers, and among the general public who were familiar with his work.”

In a statement to the press, the Judicial Authority, which represents the courts, says it is “deeply shocked and greatly pained” by Sagi’s death.

“President Sagi was a talented and promising judge, a leader, well-liked and beloved by all who had the privilege of knowing him, who achieved professional achievements at a young age, and his death is a great loss to the judicial system in which he served as a judge for about twenty years,” the body says.

Sagi is survived by his wife and three children.