Former prime minister Ehud Olmert
Photo: Gil Yochanan
Court pushes decision on Holyland verdict until Monday
Judge David Rosen decides to make decision on whether or not to postpone the verdict to allow state witness Shula Zaken to testify against her former boss Ehud Olmert.
Tel Aviv District Court Judge David Rosen said Sunday evening that he will push his decision on whether or not to postpone giving a verdict in the Holyland trial until Monday.
"The verdict will be given tomorrow, whether to all defendants or to some of them - or we hold a hearing on the prosecution's request (to postpone the verdict) and all defendants must be there," Rosen said.
The verdict was originally set to be given to all defendants on Monday, but new evidence, recently provided by Shula Zaken against her old boss, former prime minister Ehud Olmert, has led the prosecution to request a two week postponement in order to allow for the investigation to complete and for Zaken to testify against Olmert.
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Zaken has provided the prosecution with a recording in which Olmert allegedly tries to convince her not to sign a state witness deal. The police's anti-fraud unit is now investigating Olmert, who could be facing charges of obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
Rosen was supposed to decided by Sunday at 4 pm whether to postpone giving verdict to Olmert and Zaken, but has decided to push the decision until a hearing on Monday at 9 am, to which all defendants must arrive.
"All of the defendants must present themselves to the court - or they will be arrested," Rosen said.
Rosen is now facing three possibilities:
- A verdict will be given to all defendants on Monday, including Olmert and Zaken.
- The verdict for Olmert and Zaken will be postponed, while Rosen gives the verdict to the rest of the defendants.
- The verdict for all defendants will be postponed.
Earlier Sunday, most of the defendants have expressed objection to the prosecution's request to postpone the verdict due to the plea bargain signed with Zaken. Those who appealed the request, including Olmert himself, claimed that the delay will only lead to the delay of justice.
As part of a plea deal Zaken signed with the prosecution, she will only serve 11 months in jail for her crimes relating to the Holyland case, in return for a possible testimony against the man with whom she worked for 30 years. In addition, Zaken will pay a NIS 100,000 fine and return gifts given to her by the previous state witness, Shmuel Dachner, who passed away. Finally, the money laundering charges against her will be dropped.
