Petah Tikva mayor, deputy arrested in bribery probe

Arrests follow an undercover investigation by National Fraud Unit and Lahav 433 national unit, centering on 2008 mayoral elections in the city.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Petah Tikva Mayor Yitzhak Ohayon was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of receiving bribes over several years from influential businessmen in his city.
Ohayon’s deputy, Uriel Boso, was arrested on suspicion of facilitating the bribe transfers.
Additional officials from the Petah Tikva Municipality were also arrested on suspicion of facilitating bribes, fraudulently receiving goods, and money laundering.
The arrests followed a long undercover investigation by the National Fraud Unit and the Lahav 433 unit, which centered on the 2008 mayoral elections in Petah Tikva.
“According to suspicions, the suspects received illicit funds and favors during the elections and afterwards,” a police spokesman said.
During a remand hearing for the suspects at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court, Zion Amir, Ohayon’s attorney, said his client denied all the allegations against him.
Speaking to journalists in court, Ohayon said the investigation would amount to nothing.
The court extended his custody by four days, and banned him from entering City Hall for 30 days, to prevent him from disrupting the investigation.
Boso was released to eight days’ house arrest, and banned from City Hall for 15 days.