BREAKING NEWS

State witness: I gave Olmert NIS 1.5 m., presents, cigars

By YONAH BOB, JPOST.COM STAFF

JULY 2, 2012 12:46

The state's main witness on Monday said that he gave former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert NIS 1.5 million, presents and cigars for his help advancing the Holyland project and overcoming legal and political obstacles which would have limited the project's profitability.

The witness, known officially only as S.D. due to a gag order on publishing his name, was continuing to testify on Monday in the second day of the Holyland trial, a massive corruption case involving allegations of fraud and bribery to advance a large construction project in Jerusalem against Olmert, former Jerusalem mayor Uri Lupolianski, former Bank Hapoalim CEO Dan Dankner and 13 other defendants.

S.D. said that whenever he met with Olmert they gave each other hugs and kisses, and that Olmert's door was always opened to him, although he could not describe Olmert as a close friend.

The bribes were allegedly given to Olmert during the years in which he was mayor of Jerusalem. S.D. said that the bribes included paying off Olmert's debts relating to elections in 1993 and 1999, as well as Olmert's primary election campaign in the Likud against former prime minister Ariel Sharon in 1999.

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