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Shula Zaken. Welcome to Israel
Photo: Guy Assayag

Olmert's former bureau chief detained

Shula Zaken met by National Fraud Unit investigators at Ben-Gurion Airport shortly after landing in Israel following long vacation abroad

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's bureau chief, Shula Zaken, was detained Monday shortly after landing in Israel following a long vacation abroad. Zaken was met by National Fraud Unit investigators on her way to the passport control and is expected to be questioned about the Holyland corruption affair.

 

Zaken's associates criticized the police and law enforcement system following her arrest. "It's a disgrace. They are treating her as if she were a murderer or a rapist and like the last criminal. Couldn't they have let her go home, put down her suitcase and take a shower after the long flight and then taken her in for questioning?" one of the associates asked.


Zaken in police car (Photo: Avi Moalem)

 

The police believe that Zaken's interrogation is very important in order to complete the complicated investigation into the corruption affair, which has already been defined as one of the most serious scandals in the State's history.

 

Zaken has known about her expected interrogation for a week now, after investigators of the National Fraud Investigation Unit visited her house and summoned her.

 

Her interrogation is also expected to have implications on the interrogation of former Prime Minister Olmert. After being questioned, she will likely be brought before a judge.

 

The investigators hope to put Zaken under an intensive interrogation in the coming days in order to be able to move on to Olmert. Despite being the most senior suspect, the former prime minister's part in the affair is not the biggest.

 

"Immediately after questioning Zaken, we will summon Olmert as well and confront him with the documents and evidence we collected from the other suspects," a senior law enforcement official told Ynet.

 

Eli Senyor contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 04.26.10, 15:52
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