Attorney General Menachem (Meni) Mazuz today notified President Moshe Katsav that he intended to indict him for rape, indecent acts, illegal intercourse and other serious sexual crimes against four women subordinates. A hearing will be held for Katsav. Mazuz also decided not to indict Katsav in the wiretapping and clemency affairs.
Mazuz and State Prosecutor Eran Shendar agreed in all decisions in the case. The most serious charge does not actually related to the better known Ms. A., who worked for Katsav at the President’s Residence, but to another Ms. A., who worked for Katsav at the Ministry of Tourism in 1998-99. Mazuz and Shendar believe that there is evidence for rape and coerced indecent acts in this case.
In the case of the first Ms. A., Katsav will be charged with illegal consensual intercourse while abusing power, a non-consensual indecent act, an indecent act while abusing power, and sexual harassment.
In the cases of the other two women subordinates, Katsav will be charged with indecent acts while abusing power, and with sexual harassment.
In the case relating the awarding of dozens of silver cups at private affairs at the expense of the President’s Residence, Katsav will be charged with fraud, aggravated fraud, and breach of trust.
In a separate case, Katsav will be charged with harassing a witness and obstruction of justice, when he attempted to oust and influence two women employees at the President’s Residence against whom he is alleged to have sexually harassed and committed indecent acts. Katsav allegedly summoned the two women to his office in order to find out their testimony.
In the case of granting clemency and wiretapping of employees at Katsav office, for which Israel Police recommended an indictment, Mazuz decided “after reviewing the material, insufficient evidence was found that the crimes in these cases were committed.” The cases will therefore be closed for lack of evidence.
A different sexual harassment case against another women was closed for lack of guilt. The State Prosecutor’s Office has five complaints by other women, but the statute of limitations applies to these cases, and they were closed.
The notice to Katsav and his attorneys Prof. David Libai and Adv. Zion Zamir states that they can present Katsav’s factual and legal arguments at the hearing. “This material will be examined thoroughly and scrupulously, willingly and with an open mind,” before any final decision is made in the matter. The date of the hearing will be scheduled after consultation with Katsav’s attorneys.
In recent weeks, Mazuz has held a long series of comprehensive discussions with Shendar, senior State Prosecutor’s Office officials, and the team monitoring the investigation. Police investigators attended some of the meetings. During this period, the investigation was pursued and various materials that Katsav delivered to Mazuz were examined.
The discussions uncovered disagreements between the prosecutors. Jerusalem District Prosecutor Adv. Eli Abrabanel, who monitored the case, led the doubters, saying that there was no room for an indictment in some of the cases because the evidence was “full of holes”.
Katsav enjoys immunity and cannot be indicted for acts unrelated to his duties while serving in office. Katsav’s term as president ends in July, but he has notified the High Court of Justice that he will step down before the hearing and resign if it is decided to indict him.
The Knesset House Committtee, chaired by MK Ruhama Avraham (Kadima), holds the key to Katsav continuing to serve as president. The basic question is whether he will take leave until the completion of the hearing in his case.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on January 23, 2007
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