Katsav confident innocence will be proven

"The decision to renege the plea bargain wasn't a rushed affair," a close associate of former President Moshe Katsav told Ynet on Tuesday evening, less than a day after his legal defense team's shocking announcement that Katsav would stand trial rather than move forward with the agreement he'd signed with

the State Prosecutor's Office.

"There were a lot of deliberations and consultations and the final decision was only made this last weekend. He consulted with his family, with his wife Gila and with professionals. There was a lot to consider but in the end everyone rallied behind the decision and everyone is at peace with it – the lawyers, Gila and the rest of the family as well."

Katsav himself said behind closed doors that he felt "very relieved" after his legal team's surprising move to withdraw from a deal many saw as lenient and face the full extent of prosecution charges in a courtroom.

"There should also be consideration given to my belief in my innocence," the former president said.

Katsav jokes with his lawyers (Photo: Flash 90)

Over a month ago the Supreme Court authorized the plea agreement in Katsav’s case, terms of which indicated that the former president would only be charged with lesser sexual offenses such as commission of a lewd act using duress, as well as sexual harassment.

Mazuz to throw the book?

Several hours after the announcement Attorney General Menachem Mazuz hinted that he plans to charge Katsav with rape offenses.

In a detailed statement, Mazuz said that he was surprised by the defense attorneys' conduct. "In any event, one must assume that the implications of this move are clear to Moshe Katsav," he added.  

The attorney general noted that on the eve of the plea bargain, his clear inclination was to file an indictment which would include the most severe offenses Katsav was suspected of.

 Mazuz's announcement followed a consultation at the State Prosecutor's Office, several hours after Katsav arrived at the Jerusalem Magistrates' Court and reneged on the plea bargain.

The former president told the judges, "I will fight for my innocence."

Following the declaration, the prosecution joined the request to cancel the plea deal, the court approved it and the State Prosecutor's Office said that the affair was "back to square one."

Senior officials at the State Prosecutor's Office have told Ynet that they were not surprised by Katsav's decision to renege on the plea bargain, but rather by his lawyers' conduct.

"Katsav have been dragging his legs around the plea deal for a long time now. We understood that this was what would happen. We are surprised by the conduct of Katsav and his lawyers. An hour before such a crucial hearing we received a phone call that they plan to renege on the plea bargain," an official said.

Ynet has also learned that Mazuz instructed his office attorneys to prepare an indictment which would include severe sex offenses, including rape charges.

'Surprising claims and demands'

The women who had worked under Katsav and accused him of sexually assaulting them were also surprised by his dramatic announcement.

The attorney of complainant A. who worked for Katsav during his tenure as tourism minister, said that "the former president will now have to claim that the did not admit to committing sex offenses on the complainant, nine months after admitting to the very same acts."

Mazuz added in his statement Tuesday, "As you all know, at the time we considered filing a severe indictment against Former President Moshe Katsav, which would have included sex offenses and other offenses.

"However, for different considerations detailed during the High Court discussions, the attorney general accepted Katsav's requests to consider ending the affair with an agreed plea bargain. Following negotiations between the sides, the plea bargain terms were formulated, including a draft indictment signed by Katsav himself along with his lawyers."

The attorney general called the conduct of Katsav and his attorneys "a surprising series of claims and demands, including claims that they had not received all the investigation material – a claim which contradicts the existence of an agreed plea bargain."