Hirchson to be investigated again
Photo: Gilad Kevlarchik
Police continue to recommend Hirchson indictment
Police investigators to meet Attorney-General for third time Sunday, say sufficient evidence exists to indict Finance Minister
Police continue to insist that there is sufficient evidence to indict Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson on charges of embezzlement.
Police commission Yohanan Danino and head of the investigation committee on Hirchson Brigadier-General Yoav Segalovich are scheduled to meet with Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz Sunday, to update him regarding the investigation. This is the third such meeting with the attorney general.
Responses to Hirchson
Aviram Zino
After their initial petition was rejected the Movement for Quality Government again demands High Court remove finance minister suspected of embezzlement from public office
Hirchson is expected to be questioned in the upcoming week or two, for the fifth time, by the police's Financial Crime Unit. A week ago, Hirchson was questioned for six hours. Because he is suspected of laundering funds, including tax funds, the investigation contained officials from the Tax Authority.
The police claim to have strengthened their case that Hirchson embezzled funds from the non-profit Nili organization (associated with the National Workers' Organization) while he headed the workers' association.
Hirchson is accused of using the funds to finance a political campaign and cover the illegal gambling debts of one of Nili's directors.
Police have yet to conclude investigations on the charges that Hirchson embezzled funds from other non-profit organizations, including The March of the Living and the Yuvalim pension fund.
A source told Ynet that "the investigation is expected to take a number of weeks, but even if evidence against Hirchson builds up, the final decision regarding indictment lies in the hand of the prosecutors, regardless of police recommendations."
It should be noted that, in previous investigations of the Finance Minister, police sources announced that there was already sufficient evident to indict him, although, to date, no formal charge has been brought against Hirchson.
Hirchson continues to deny the allegations. Regarding large sums of money transferred to his bank account, the Finance Minister continues to claim that they were transferred by his son, Ofer, and by a relative living in Switzerland, who allegedly helped Hirchson financially when his wife was sick.
In addition to police investigations, the Finance Minister is also facing a High Court petition calling for his resignation. The High Court is expected to respond on the matter by the end of the month.
Despite great public pressure on the issue, Hirchson has not indicated any intention of leaving his post.
