Ya'acov Borovsky accused of trying to bribe Omri Sharon for job promotion.
By REBECCA ANNA STOIL, DAN IZENBERGborovsky 298.88(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The police on Thursday named a team to probe influence peddling allegations against anti-corruption czar Ya'acov Borovsky. Israel Police head Insp.-Gen. Moshe Karadi, meanwhile, said he would refrain from involvement in the investigation, due to potential conflicts of interest.
Borovsky, a senior official in the State Comptroller's Office, has been accused of contacting Solomon Karubi - a member of the Likud central committee who was close to former MK Omri Sharon. Borovsky allegedly wanted Karubi to bribe the younger Sharon so that then-prime minister Ariel Sharon, would support Borovsky's candidacy for the post of police inspector-general.
The allegations were made public Sunday night when Karubi came forward with the story. Omri Sharon subsequently confirmed Karubi's account.
On Thursday, State Attorney Eran Shendar discussed the case with the police's head of investigations and intelligence, Cmdr. Yochanan Danino. The investigation is particularly sticky as at least one key player - Lt.-Cmdr. David Siso - is still on active duty as a subdistrict commander.
Shendar and Danino decided that Karubi's complaint will be handled by a police team that will include investigators from the Justice Department's Police Investigative Department (PID).
After Danino and Shendar informed the country's top cop of the decision, Karadi told them that due to the "special circumstances" surrounding the "sensitive" investigation, he had decided not to receive any information on the case until police complete the probe.
It is well-known that no love is lost between Karadi and Borovsky, who was quoted in a letter from a senior police officer to the Zeiler Commission as saying that campaign donations to the Likud Party - channeled through Omri Sharon - had brought about Karadi's appointment.
Danino said the investigation would be assigned to a National Fraud Squad team led by Dep.-Cmd. Eran Kamin. On Monday, Karubi was questioned for three hours at the unit's offices.
Kamin is a veteran of high-profile investigations, including a 2003 probe into whether the Islamic Movement worked to pass money to Hamas and other investigations into alleged shady business dealings by Omri and Ariel Sharon.
A Justice Ministry representative said Thursday police would also investigate Borovsky's complaint against Karubi. Borovsky told police Karubi lied when he said Borovsky tried to use him as an intermediary.
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