After five days in detention, the Rishon Lezion Magistrates Court today extended the arrest of Petah Tikva Mayor Rami Greenberg at the request of Israel Police.
Greenberg is suspected of receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels and expensive equipment from businessmen Mosher Saadon and Ron Omsi, owners of an advertising company, when he was running for mayor in the 2018 municipal elections. National fraud squad Lahav 433 investigators suspect that Greenberg promised to promote their business interests after he was elected, in exchange for the money. Along with Greenberg, Petah Tikva municipal director general Yaniv Benita was also arrested.
Greenberg and Benita are suspected of taking bribes, false reports on corporate documents, money laundering and offenses under the Income Tax and VAT Law.
In discussions last week, Omsi said that he had been asked to become state's witness but at the moment the case has no state's witness.
The evidence is mainly based on information from Omsi. Greenberg denies committing any offenses and is cooperating with the investigation. He has been questioned every day in recent days.
After the extension of his remand last week, Greenberg's attorney Adv. Ofer Bartal of Bartal Cohen Advocates said, "The election campaign of the mayor was conducted according to the law. A detailed report was field with all the expenses and income to the State Comptroller and approved by him. It is very difficult to be a public servant in the holy land, and difficult and dangerous, doubly so to be a public servant, who strictly adheres to regulations. The mayor is answering all questions that he is asked and will continue to cooperate with the police until the investigation is completed. He asks that all the city's residents not to be quick to judge him and to wait patiently until the end of the investigation."
Presumption of innocence: Rami Greenberg and the others involved in this matter are only suspects and have not been convicted of any offense and have the right to be presumed innocent.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 15 2022.
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