Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz announced Monday that he is closing the case of suspected bribery in former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s purchase of a home on Cremieux Street in Jerusalem. Mazuz explained that there is not sufficient evidence to indict Olmert.
The suspicions were disclosed more than three years ago by investigative journalist Yoav Yitzchak, who operates the News 1 Hebrew-language news site. He has uncovered several documents and testimonies that implicated the former Prime Minister.
Olmert bought the house at a substantial discount from the market price in 2004 and was suspected of influencing Jerusalem officials to re-zone the property from a preserved zone in order to allow drastic renovations.
The case is the second to be dropped in criminal probes involving Olmert. Last year, prosecutors decided to close the case in which Olmert was charged with trying to favor two business friends in the government’s sale of its shares in Bank Leumi.
State prosecutors already have announced they will indict Olmert in the “double-billing” affair in which Rishon Tours sent out multiple invoices, allegedly enabling Olmert to pocket extra money.
He also faces possible indictment for receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from American businessman Morris Talansky, including at least $150,000 in cash that was transferred in envelopes.
A third case involves his activities in the Investment Center, where he has been accused of favoring friends.