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Morris Talansky
Photo: Tess Scheflan, Jini
Attorney Eli Zohar needs more time
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Prosecution: Decision on whether to indict Olmert 'very soon'

State prosecutor says prime minister’s culpability to be determined soon. After receiving mounds of material, Olmert’s attorneys granted two additional days to cross-examine Talansky

State Prosecutor Moshe Lador said Monday following the cross-examination of Morris Talansky, the key witness in the "cash envelopes" affair involving Ehud Olmert, that a decision on whether to indict the prime minister is expected "very soon".

 

The Jerusalem District Court determined that Talansky's cross-examination will resume on August 31 and will continue through September 1, this after Olmert’s attorney Eli Zohar asked for two additional days to interrogate the key witness.

 

Zohar explained that “the police investigation was done haphazardly, and afterwards representatives were sent to the United States to gather additional material. Many of the contradictions were revealed after the request for a preliminary testimony was presented. Files are continually flowing in."

 

"Most of the material is related to Talansky. A lot of material has been collected; double what we knew when we determined the amount of time needed for the cross- examination, and this is continuing to this very moment. We want another round of cross-examinations,” he added. 

 

Simultaneously, Olmert’s media advisor Amir Dan slammed the law enforcement system for claiming that the defense team was behind the leaks in the investigation.

 

"Our only request is to start an investigation. If the police and the state prosecutor have nothing to hide then they won’t object to investigating the issue once and for all," he said.

 

“These are systematic leaks, divulged during the time of the cross-examination and intended to hurt the prime minister in power.

 

“The more the state prosecution and the police’s versions collapse in court, the more the external leaks grow in order to cover the crumbling of Talansky’s testimony," Dan stated. 

 

The first stage of the cross-examination is expected to be concluded on Tuesday.

 

Efrat Weiss contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.21.08, 18:17
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