November 25th 2024.
In a courtroom filled with supporters of 19-year-old Isla Bell, emotions ran high as the accused cleaner, Eyal Yaffe, was granted bail today. Yaffe, 57, had been charged with aiding Bell's alleged murderer, Marat Ganiev, in concealing her remains for a period of three weeks.
According to the police, Bell was last seen leaving her Brunswick home on October 4. CCTV footage allegedly captured a fight between Ganiev and an unknown person through a gap in his apartment window on October 7. Ganiev was then accused of cleaning the apartment. Two days later, on October 9, Yaffe, who works as a residential cleaner, arrived at the apartment in a RAV4 with a trailer, and helped Ganiev move a black fridge to the back of the apartment.
It is alleged that on October 17, CCTV footage showed Yaffe and Ganiev removing an old fridge from the apartment, which contained Bell's remains. The fridge was wrapped in plastic and placed on a trailer attached to the RAV4. Police claim that Bell's remains were placed inside a bag inside the fridge, and that it was transported to multiple locations in Melbourne's southeast before ultimately being found at a tip in Dandenong.
Yaffe is accused of moving and cleaning the fridge, using aerosols and other cleaning products, and disposing of a bag of items belonging to Bell. "The allegation is that Mr. Yaffe assisted in concealing Ms. Bell's body for just under three weeks," stated Magistrate Rohan Lawrence during Monday's court hearing.
Prosecutors objected to Yaffe being released on bail, arguing that he posed a risk to the community's safety and may interfere with witnesses. They also claimed that he was a flight risk, as he had booked a flight to Bulgaria shortly after being interviewed by the police on October 28. However, Yaffe's barrister, Ian Hill KC, argued that there was no evidence to suggest that Yaffe was aware of Bell's alleged murder or that her remains were in the fridge.
After considering all the evidence, Magistrate Lawrence found that Yaffe was not an unacceptable risk to the community's safety. He also stated that any perceived risks could be mitigated by strict bail conditions, such as a monitoring device. The court heard that Yaffe's trial was not likely to take place until the end of 2025 or early 2026 and that he could face up to five years in prison if found guilty. "I will grant bail," declared Magistrate Lawrence.
Under the bail conditions, Yaffe will have to reside with his son and post a $20,000 bail surety. He must surrender his passports and is not allowed to leave the greater Melbourne area or attend any points of departure. He will also be subject to a curfew and cannot contact any witnesses. Additionally, Yaffe will be fitted with an electronic monitoring device.
As the news of Yaffe's release on bail sunk in, a supporter of Bell seated in the back row began to cry. Meanwhile, Ganiev, who is facing charges of Bell's murder, appeared in court on Wednesday and is set to return in March.
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