Moshe Katsav (archive photo)
Photo: Hagai Aharon
Menachem Mazuz (archive photo)
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Offer to Katsav: Admit affair, and rape charges will be dropped
Justice Ministry confirms suspended president given chance to admit to having affairs with complainants
Suspended President Moshe Katsav has been given the chance to change his testimony concerning the rape allegations against him and admit to having had an affair with two of the complainants against him.
Attorney General Menachem Mazuz told Katsav's lawyers that if Katsav were to admit to an affair, the rape charges would probably be dropped. In their place, Katsav would likely be charged with the less serious crime of having had consensual sexual relations with an employee.
The Justice Ministry confirmed Monday that the offer had been made.
In a statement, the ministry said that "some of the comments made by Katsav’s lawyers during his hearing did not reflect the president’s initial testimony,” suggesting that the attorneys’ version hinted that Katsav had an affair with the complainants.
One of Katsav’s lawyers, Avraham Lavi, told Ynet that Katsav “has not changed his version and never had any type of relationship with the women who complained against him”. Lavi added that the ministry statement showed that the state attorney's office did not have enough evidence against Katsav to charge him, and that the case should be closed.
Mazus is due to decide soon whether to issue a formal indictment against Katsav.
