Israeli sources reported Monday that the Israeli prosecution is weighing the possibility of dropping bribery and corruption charges against former Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, and his two sons, Omri and Gilad, due to the lack of evidence.The case of the Multimillion dollars believed to have been embezzled by Sharon and his sons consumed the Israeli media for a long time, and vanished before resurfacing Monday when Israel’s leading newspaper, Haaretz, reported that the case against Sharon, who is in a coma, and his sons, will be closed.
It is worth mentioning that an investigation team, specialized in bribery, embezzlement and corruption cases, headed by General Nahom Levi, submitted recommendations more than a year ago calling on the State to prosecute Omri and Gilad for their mediation role in transferring millions of US Dollars of embezzled money.
Haaretz reported that the Israeli Prosecution in Tel Aviv examined evidence and materials related to the case, and decided to recommend closing the case “due to the lack of conclusive and incriminating evidence”.
Haaretz added that the current medical condition of Sharon, the main defendant in the case, is one of the main reasons that pushed for recommending dropping the charges, as Sharon is not fit to stand trial.
In related news, lawyers representing the current Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, stated that they managed to limit the chances of the prosecution to secure a conviction against him. The investigation against Lieberman was initiated six years ago.
Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, suffered a stroke on January 4, 2006, and has been in a persistent vegetative state since then.
On March 2009, the District Court in Tel Aviv, indicted former Israeli President, Moshe Katsav, for rape and various sexual offenses. The trial was held in 2009 and 2010 behind closed doors. There was a gag order on the case, and in August 2010, the protocols of the trial were released.
On December 2010, Katsav was found guilty of rape, committing an indecent act while using force, sexual harassment, obstruction of justice and harassing a witness.
On March 22 2011, Katsav was sentenced to seven years in prison and two years on probation, in addition to being ordered to pay one of the women he harassed a sum of 100.000 NIS, and to pay another woman a sum of 25.000 NIS.
Also, former Israeli Prime Minister, a long-time politician, and a former Mayor of Jerusalem, Ehud Olmert, faced on August 30 2009, an indictment at the District Court in Jerusalem. The indictment included five counts; obtaining by fraud under aggravating circumstances, fraud, breach of trust, tax evasion, and falsifying corporate documents.
On July 2012, Olmert was convicted of one count of breach of trust and was acquitted and was acquitted on two counts of fraud.
