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Cherny. Confronted during investigation
Photo: Dudu Azoulay
Simhayof. Staying in police custody
Photo: Dudu Azulay

Holyland: State witness confronts Cherny in investigation

Key figure in corruption affair accused of bribing senior officials with millions taken in to police, forced to confront project entrepreneur while documents on table. Court rules Simhayof, Rabin to remain in police custody

Confrontation in the investigation room: The State witness in the Holyland real estate corruption case – who recounted in his statement of claim his alleged involvement in issuing bribes to senior officials in Jerusalem Municipality, including the mayor – was taken into the police investigation room Sunday to confront Hillel Cherny, the man who initiated the Jerusalem real estate development, which has been called "a monstrosity."

 

The man, who was deeply involved in promoting the project, confronted Cherny as evidentiary documents lay open on the table in the investigation room. He is slated to be brought in for additional confrontations with suspects during the investigation, which is being carried out by National Fraud Investigation Unit.

 

As was originally reported in Ynet, the State witness is protected by a police security detail.

 

Also Monday, the Petah Tikva District Court denied an appeal submitted by former Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Eliezer Simhayof against being kept in police custody. Simhayof sat as chairman of the municipal finance committee when the Holyland crimes were allegedly carried out.

 

In a rejection of his counsel's claims, the court ruled that the allegations made against Simhayof are well-founded and that there is no evidence showing he will not try to disrupt investigative proceedings should he be released, though no evidence has yet to found indicating that he has done so in the past.

 

Simhayof's lawyers claimed during the hearing that there is no logic to keeping their client in detention while suspects deemed central to the case, including former Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, Attorney Uri Messer, and Eli Hasson, have been released to house arrest. They also brought forth the fact that former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has yet to be investigated, and that his former bureau chief, Shula Zaken, also a suspect is abroad.

 

In another court hearing on Monday, the remand appeal filed by Meir Rabin was rejected. Rabin is suspected of acting as a mediator between the Holyland development company and the municipal officials in transferring bribe money. His lawyer claimed that keeping Rabin in police custody is a pressure tactic to coerce him into becoming a State witness.

 

The Supreme Court on Sunday decided not to release Cherny from detainment. The court also decided to keep businessman Avigdor Kelner in custody.

 

A representative of the State Prosecution said, "This is a grave and urgent case that has no parallel. I would not be exaggerating if I were to say that hundreds more suspects will be investigated." According to her, an "impressive" extent of evidence has been collect on which to base suspicions.

 

On the backdrop of progress being made in the case, Shula Zaken's lawyer, Attorney Micha Pitman, returned to Israel from the United States on Sunday.

 

According to a report in Ynet, the State Prosecution and Israel Police are in contact with Olmert's former bureau chief in a bid to goad her into testifying against her former boss. To this end, the possibility of making her a State witness has even been raised.

 

According to those close to Zaken, she has decided to lengthen her stay abroad once the hearings in her case were delayed. She is slated to return to Israel at the beginning of next week.

 

Raanan Ben-Zur contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 04.19.10, 09:59
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