Israel Matzav

The branja take care of their own

The secretary of former Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert was sentenced to four months of community service on Wednesday, after being convicted in one of the biggest public service scandals in Israel's history. Shula Zaken was convicted of using her position as Olmert's secretary to influence appointments at the Income Tax Authority for the benefit of her brother, Yoram Karshi by brokering bribes. But pending appeals on both sides, she won't be spending a single day in jail. She can just volunteer for four months of community service.

In May, the court found Zaken guilty of abusing her position as bureau chief in the office of then-finance minister Ehud Olmert between October 2005 and March 2006 by brokering bribes to advance the personal interests of her brother, Yoram Karshi.

Judge Haim Li-Ran wrote that, while Zaken had breached the public trust, she was, at the end of the day, a secretary.

What the.... She may have been a secretary but she sure knew which buttons to press and how to press them.

State prosecutors had sought jail time for Zaken because she betrayed the public that put its confidence in her.

Zaken was convicted of fraud and breach of trust offenses in February in regard to the Tax Authority affair, one of the most serious cases of public-sector corruption in the state’s history.

Her trial was held separately from that of the other defendants in the affair. Three have already been sentenced to prison terms by the Central District Court in Petah Tikva.

In convicting Zaken earlier this year, Judge Haim Li-Ran said her testimony before the court and statements to police had been “packed with inaccuracies” and that her version of events did “not hold water.”

Zaken faces charges in two other corruption cases. She is currently standing trial alongside Olmert in the Jerusalem District Court where she has been indicted in connection with the Rishon Tours and Talansky affairs. That trial is in its closing arguments phase.

Rishon Tours is a claim that Olmert double and triple billed trips abroad and pocketed the extra cash. Talansky involves a claim by Olmert's laundryman, Morris Talansky, that he gave massive amounts of cash to Olmert in return for services rendered. Talansky, who lives in the US, has not been charged.

Zaken was also indicted in connection with the Holyland real estate corruption scandal.

The related trial opened this February in the Tel Aviv District Court.

The 'justice system' in this country is simply beyond absurd....

Labels: bribes, Ehud K. Olmert, government corruption

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:42 PM