State to ask for moral turpitude ruling in Olmert case
After court acquits former PM of corruption charges, Prosecution calls to apply moral turpitude to Olmert's offense, asks for six month sentence
Former prime minister Ehud Olmert might have been exonerated of the majority of the corruption charges brought against him, however, the State Prosecutor's Office will most likely ask to apply moral turpitude to his offense, after he was found guilty of breach of trust in the Investment Center case.
In addition to applying moral turpitude to the offense, the prosecution will ask for a six month sentence which can be converted to community service.
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Over the next few weeks, the prosecution will hold meetings on the matter and will determine whether or not the State will appeal Olmert's exoneration of the Talansky Affair and the Rishon Tours double billing scandal.
In their verdict in the Investment Center Case, the court criticized Olmert and found him at fault for gross conflict of interest in his dealings with Uri Messer. "The defendant was found at fault on this account on four different occasions," they said.
Launched in 2007, the investigation focused on suspicions that Olmert was involved in political appointments in Israel's Small and Medium Enterprise Authority (SMEA) during his tenure as industry, trade and labor minister. A subsequent inquiry revealed a much wider scope of offences, pointing to 260 appointments or fringe benefits Olmert was responsible for as part of his various public positions.
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