Mazuz to decide on Katsav case
After numerous setbacks Mazuz is expected to decide this week which charges will be brought against President Katsav. State Prosecution still divided over whether evidence sufficient for rape charges
Attorney General Menachem Mazuz is expected to announce this week which charges will be brought against President Moshe Katsav. Mazuz has held almost a dozen consultations with State Prosecutor Eran Shendar and other prosecutors involved in the case. The indictment is expected to include a number of serious sexual offenses and may also include a rape charge.
The indictment was delayed by several weeks because of reservations that there was insufficient evidence to charge Katsav with rape.
A senior State Prosecutor said that he believed that the existing evidence in the form of letters and tapes would compensate for the lack of a 'smoking gun' and prove solid enough to hold up a rape charge.
Attorney Zion Amir, a leading member of Katsav's defense team, said: "We believe that even though we don't have the investigatory materials, this case is full of holes and I have no choice but to reference the opinion of the Jerusalem District Prosecutor who said that this case is unworthy of an indictment due to its shaky foundation. We hope that this stance will be adopted by the Attorney General."
The affidavit that shook the case
Amir also addressed the affidavit published by Ynet last week according to which A., one of the complainants, worked as a call girl and provided sexual services for a fee. "The affidavit itself is not the piece of evidence that will cause the president to change his position. That means that still, if it is decided to file an indictment, the president will first suspend himself and then if after the subsequent hearing the attorney general decides to file and indictment, the president will resign."
A. herself was outraged by the affidavit, claiming it was only a media spin orchestrated by Katsav. According to those close to A. a relative of hers worked as a call girl. The difficult story caused A. to break her vow of silence and speak to the media. In an interview with Ynet, she vehemently attacked Katsav and his associates.
"I find it fitting to respond to this insane story that I understand Moshe Katsav, or someone on his behalf, decided to stoop to inventing lies and ridiculous stories," said A. angrily. According to her, she suffers from anxiety.
"I always knew that the day I'd open my mouth, I'd be exposed to such disgraceful and unfair treatment, but I never imagined it would sink to such levels," she said.
Attorney Sharon Nahari, recently chosen by the Katsav family to represent him, told Ynet, "The evidence was recently passed on to the attorney general. Because investigations are in full force, I cannot respond to the content, but in our opinion, the material significantly damages the character, credibility, and trustworthiness of Complainant A.
"We trust that the attorney general will reach the coalescing conclusions and will decide that there is no place to issue an indictment against the president," Nahari said.
Complainant A.'s lawyer, Attorney Kineret Barashi, said, "Moshe Katsav is using the media in order to disgrace, humiliate, and dismiss the complainant, and afterwards claims that the media has already decided his fate. This is an unreliable suspect who has 12 complaints against him that indicate similar methods and actions. This treatment, in effect, is used to delay the end and to reopen the investigation in light of the fact that the one who submitted the alleged affidavit is not prepared to identify himself even before the attorney general."
