In a stunning blow to the State Prosecutor, the Jerusalem Magistrates Court today acquitted MK Tzachi Hanegbi (Kadima) on three serious counts of the indictment in the political appointments case. Hanegbi was acquitted on election bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Two other charges were dropped, and he was found guilty of just one charge: perjury.
According to the State Prosecutor's indictment, Hanegbi was responsible for 49 political appointments in 2001-03, when he served as Minister of Environment Protection, as well as additional 23 political appointments at agencies affiliated with the ministry. The appointments were given to Likud central committee members or their relatives. Hanegbi was a member of the Likud at the time.
The court also acquitted then-Ministry of Environment Protection director general Shmuel Hershkovitz of fraud, the single charge against him.
The penalty for perjury is three years in jail, but it is hard to imagine that the State Prosecutor will seek jail time for Hanegbi in this case. While it can be argued that perjury carries the charge of moral turpitude, the State Prosecutor is unlikely to seek it.
The perjury charge on which Hanegbi was convicted relates to his signed affidavit submitted to the chairman of the central election committee chairman in December 2002, in which Hanegbi provided false information. He subsequently lied to the central election committee.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 13, 2010
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