President denies allegations during investigations
Last week, President Moshe Katsav was investigated on two occasions. Sunday morning, Yedioth Ahronoth publishes excerpts of his version of events. 'My wife Gila came to visit office. If we were there, everyone would have found out,' he says
President Katsav and his family are leaving on a week-long vacation during which he will not be brought in for questioning. In an interview for Kol Israel that was broadcast last weekend, Katsav said that he is innocent of any wrongdoing and pointed out that "it is inconceivable that the legislature is considering to bring (him) to justice." He complained that Knesset members are asking him to relieve himself of his duties even before the inquiry on his matter was over. The president also said that he felt as if he is being publicly lynched without due process.
'People can walk in whenever they want'
"It's all nonsense, there was no rape," insisted Katsav during his questioning. "I have at least six reasons to tell you about for which there was no rape. First, on both sides of my office there are glass windows and anybody in the building could look inside and see what I'm doing. Furthermore, there are security guards that are there permanently. They can walk into my office at any moment and see what I'm doing. My family members also go into my office the whole day.
"Besides, it has to be mentioned that the office is not locked for security purposes, and people can walk in whenever they want. You think I would do such a deed when everyone is in the presidential residence? This whole story is a lie. Aside from that, throughout the day, the ladies that serve tea walk into my office. They come to collect the cups from the office, and if there was rape like (the plaintiff) is describing, everyone would have seen it and I would have been caught red-handed. It's one big preposterous story."
The plaintiff described in her testimony that "when we were in his office, he attacked me with such cruelty, he removed my pants by force from the back and raped me." She further recounted that the alleged rapes lasted for a long time and the only reason she stayed in the presidential residence was because Katsav threatened that her that she would not find another job anywhere else: "I'm the president and you're nothing."
On Sunday the investigators are meant to come to the office of Attorney General Menachem Mazuz. The State Prosecutor Eran Shendar will also attend the meeting. The investigators will present the material and the allegations brought up to this point in the investigation.
