Following the annulment of the indictment letter against Mahmoud Katusa, the man formerly suspected of assaulting a seven-year-old girl in a Binyamin school, Katusa returned home where his family was expectant that he would also be reinstated in his job.

Anwar Katusa, Mahmoud’s brother, told reporters that there is no reason that Mahmoud should not return to his job, where he has been employed for eight years.

One of the bosses of Katusa, a Chareidi man who lives in the town where the young victim lives, sent Katusa a bouquet of flowers to congratulate him on the annulment. The card on the flowers read: “To the dear Katusa family. Continue to be the good people that you are. We are ecstatic that Mahmoud has been released. He is an honest and straightforward man.”

According to the Chareidi man, he knew right away that Mahmoud did not commit the crime that was alleged to him. He told reporters that he hopes and prays that the person who did commit the crime is caught and brought to justice quickly.

The young girl came back to school just this week, for the first time since she was attacked. During her testimony, the girl pointed at Katusa and said that she recognized him as her attacker. Katusa himself told reporters on Tuesday that: “I do not know this girl, nor have I ever seen her. From the beginning, I cried and screamed and told them that they made a mistake and that I am not the man whom they are looking for. I couldn’t even listen to the story it was so horrifying. I believe that there is someone who is behind this and that someone told her to point at me and single me out. I am sure of it.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)