Man Charged with Murdering Woman, Hiding Body in Barrel

Salah Othman, a resident of a-Tur in Jerusalem, has been indicted for the murder of Fatima Rajabi, allegedly motivated by a debt.

According to the indictment, Othman decided to kill Rajabi several days before the murder due to her persistent demands for repayment of the debt. He had previously purchased a metal barrel, which he stored in a shed at his home, intending to hide her body in it after the crime.

Approximately three weeks ago, Othman met with Rajabi in A-Zar'a and drove her towards his home in a-Tur, claiming he would bring her the money there. Upon nearing his home, as Rajabi continued to demand her money, Othman took a hammer from his car's trunk and struck her forcefully in the head. When he observed she was still moving, he struck her a second time, leading to her death shortly thereafter.

Following the murder, Othman drove with Rajabi's body in his car to various locations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. He then placed the body in the pre-purchased barrel and poured sealant over it to prevent its discovery. Additionally, he took Rajabi's debit card and withdrew 15,000 shekels from her account. Othman also hid the hammer and disposed of his mobile phones to impede the police investigation.

Othman evaded capture for several days until he met with a relative who turned him over to the police. The investigation was conducted by the Shalem station in the Jerusalem district. The indictment charges Othman with aggravated murder, destruction of evidence, debit card theft, aggravated debit card fraud, and theft.