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 in advancing the
Holyland project and overcoming legal and political obstacles that would have
limited the project’s profitability.
In one instance, the witness said he
gave Olmert an “emergency injection” of $10,000 via Olmert’s
driver.
“S.D.” made his allegations on the second day of the Holyland
trial, which ended after over five hours of testimony for the second-straight
day upon the request of the state’s main witness.
The witness is
officially known only as “S.D.” because of a gag order protecting his
identity.
He was due to testify each day, starting Sunday, from 8:30 a.m.
to 8 p.m. for nearly two weeks, but in both of the first two days, has tired
around midday and requested a recess after only about half the time
allotted.
The Holyland trial, which deals with the large Jerusalem
construction project of the same name, is a massive corruption case involving
allegations of fraud and bribery against Olmert, former Jerusalem mayor Uri
Lupolianski, former Bank Hapoalim CEO Dan Dankner and 13 other
defendants.
In his second day of testimony, S.D. said that whenever he
met with Olmert, they gave each other hugs and kisses, and that Olmert’s door was always open 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
as a result of the elections in 1993 and 1999, as well as Olmert’s Likud primary
election campaign against former prime minister Ariel Sharon in
1999.
S.D. said that he first met Olmert personally around 1993-
1994.
Regarding Shula Zaken, Olmert’s former bureau chief, S.D. said that
the former prime minister introduced them at their first meeting. S.D. said that
Olmert referred to Zaken as his “right hand.” S.D. added that Olmert told him
that if he needed anything from Olmert, he could turn to Zaken.
According
to S.D., Olmert told him that speaking and getting approval from Zaken was like
speaking directly and getting approval from Olmert himself.
The state
witness said that he saw this being confirmed in practice, as any time that
Zaken intervened on his behalf with local Jerusalem officials who had power over
issues related to getting proposals approved that were against stated municipal
policies and laws, “no one dared” cross her and the Holyland project was allowed
to move forward.
S.D. said that Zaken had told him that Olmert’s
electoral debts included personal debts.
He also said that Olmert knew
that he was receiving unlawful funds from businessman Hillel Cherny, through
S.D., and that Olmert had thanked S.D. for them several times. In one instance,
S.D. testified that Zaken asked Olmert if he knew about the funds he was
receiving from S.D.
According to S.D., Olmert turned to S.D. in reply and
said, “I thank you for everything you are doing.”
In another instance,
Zaken called S.D. sounding alarmed and requesting emergency assistance to pay an
NIS 50,000 debt. S.D. wanted to help but did not have immediate access to that
amount of funds in shekels soon enough for Zaken.
S.D. solved the dilemma
by suggesting to Zaken that he give her the $10,000 that he had on hand since he
had just returned from traveling out of the country.
Zaken was happy with
the plan and sent Olmert’s driver to receive the funds. Later, Zaken called
S.D. to thank him on behalf of Olmert.
S.D. also recounted
instances in which he said he had given up to NIS 350,000 in funds directly to
Zaken to pay for her jewelry and furniture.
Delving into new portions of
the Holyland scandal, S.D. also testified for the first time in detail about his
relationship with Jerusalem entrepreneur Meir Rabin. According to S.D., Rabin
worked for him as the actual person who transferred the bribes to public
officials after S.D. and the officials had agreed to the amounts.
Rabin
would receive checks and then convert them into cash to give to the public
officials, S.D.said.
For his part in the scheme, Rabin’s monthly
salary rose from NIS 11,500 monthly to NIS 15,000 to NIS 21,500.
A
spokesman for Olmert responded that it was unfortunate that at this stage of the
trial, everyone must patiently wait and listen to S.D. continue to dump
falsehoods on Olmert.
He rejected all of S.D.’s new allegations, saying
that the fact that S.D. would be making headlines for several days in a row was
just a function of criminal trials, in which a witness testifies and is only
later cross-examined.
He predicted that once S.D is crossexamined, the
truth would come to light and all of S.D.’s lies, as he perceived them, would be
exposed and thrown out by the court.
Olmert’s spokesman specifically
noted that even the prosecution had admitted in its opening statement that they
are not presenting all of the documents given to them by S.D. because they could
not vouch for the veracity of some documents or were convinced that the
documents were inaccurate.
On Sunday, S.D. implicated Lupolianski, Polar
Investments CEO Avigdor Kellner, Polar Investments manager Amnon Safran and
Kardan Real Estate CEO Shimon Galon.
S.D. said Cherny gave him NIS 9
million to be used for bribes during the years 1994-1999.
If the early
recesses continue – S.D. has been excused before the six-hour mark on his first
two days in court – it is unclear if two weeks will be enough time for the full
testimony.