Shula Zaken, former top aide to outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, incriminated him on bribery charges concerning his purchase of a home on Cremieux Street in Jerusalem in 2004, News 1 reported Saturday night.
Police on Friday questioned the Prime Minister, a former mayor of the capital, apparently for the last time, concerning the purchase. Zaken, a long-time trusted assistant and former manager of his office, has exercised her “right to remain silent” in all other probes against her former boss.
Journalist Yoav Yitzchak, who was the first to expose the charges nearly three years ago, wrote that Zaken told police she acted on Olmert’s behalf to gain municipal permits to allow renovations at the house. In return, the seller gave him a reduction of $330,000 from the true value of the property.
Her testimony contradicts Olmert’s insistence to police that he did not try to intervene to secure the permits.
City officials had turned down previous requests for renovations at the Cremieux Street building because the law defines it as a part of a preserved neighborhood and bars exterior renovations.
Zaken told investigators that she acted as Olmert’s personal messenger and pressed senior city officials to arrange special permits to authorize construction, according to Yitzchak.
The testimony was kept secret in order to allow investigators to surprise Olmert during questioning. He has been under the impression that she has refused to answer any questions during the investigations.
The police will draw their conclusions and in several weeks will present their recommendations to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and State Prosecutor Moshe Lador on whether to indict him.