Former aide to PM questioned again over sexual assault

A complaint was filed against Sheffer in October, accusing him of trapping a woman and forcing sexual acts on her.

By ELIYAHU KAMISHER
Gil Sheffer with Netanyahu (photo credit: GPO)
Gil Sheffer with Netanyahu
(photo credit: GPO)
Gil Sheffer, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s former chief of staff, was questioned by the Lahav 433 police anticorruption unit on Monday, his second questioning in a sexual-assault investigation.
A complaint was filed against Sheffer in October, accusing him of trapping a woman and forcing sexual acts on her.
He was released to house arrest for five days following his initial questioning on November 29.
According to a Channel 10 report, the incident involving Sheffer took place two months ago. Sheffer, who is Japan’s honorary consul in Jerusalem, was invited to an event hosted by Yigal Amedi, the chairman of the National Council for Culture and Arts, where his alleged victim was a participant.
Sheffer is accused of offering the woman a car ride and refusing to take her home until she pleaded for him to do so, then tried to kiss her by force while she left the car.
Sheffer’s lawyer, Gil Fridman, called the sexual-assault allegations “baseless.”
On Thursday, police sources said Sheffer was questioned in November in a separate investigation of Sara Netanyahu regarding her alleged misuse of state funds.
Police said the investigations are not connected.
The alleged sexual assault occurred after Sheffer left his post at the Prime Minister’s Office in 2014.