Kiryat Malachi Mayor Moti Malka was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of
repeatedly raping, sodomizing and sexually abusing a female employee of the
municipality, in an investigation that shocked the country.
The mayor’s
arrest – along with that of a second senior official, who is also suspected of
rape – followed an undercover investigation by the National Fraud
Unit.
According to police suspicions, Malka also took a “sexual bribe”
from a single mother in exchange for lowering her municipal land tax (arnona),
and accepted a bribe from a contractor in the form of an apartment placed at his
disposal, where sexual encounters took place.
Malka has denied the
suspicions, saying sexual relations took place with consent, and that he ended
the relationship.
Five additional municipality officials were arrested
over suspicions of receiving bribes, extortion, fraud and breach of
trust.
In an ironic twist, Malka was recently caught on film accusing an
opposition council member of rape. The accusation – which Channel 10 broadcast –
followed a heated council meeting in which the opposition member, Yossi Hadad,
had objected to spending NIS 300,000 on a renovation project, saying the amount
of money was unreasonable.
“You piece of garbage, I saved you from rape!”
the mayor shouted at Hadad after losing his temper. Hadad later threatened to
involve the police.
Police have arrested the mayor’s son on suspicion of
extorting Hadad with a view to preventing him from coming forward with details
of the offenses.
The Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday
extended Malka’s remand by eight days. It extended his son’s remand by three
days.
Residents of Kiryat Malachi cringed on hearing the news, in light
of the negative association that already exists between the southern town and
its most infamous son, former president Moshe Katsav, who was convicted of
rape.
“It’s very hard to hear this. Again, Kiryat Malachi is in
headlines because of negative things,” one resident told Israel
Radio.
“This is one of the warmest and nicest places to live.”