Brigadier General Ofek Buchris appeared before a military tribunal today. His bill of indictment will be read before the court but the remainder of the trial will be deferred. Buchris appeared in civilian garb due to his voluntary discharge from the IDF.
The trial has been deferred, due to the fact that the military prosecutor and Buchris’ defense attorney have agreed to enter negotiations. Within this framework, Buchris’ defense attorney and the prosecutor will meet with a judge who will try to reach an arrangement between the two sides and determine an appropriate course of action. .Both sides have agreed that the negotiations should be finished by this coming December.
Two months ago, the IDF prosecution indicted Buchris for rape and sodomy. The prosecution announced that the decision to indict Buchris, a highly-decorated officer, was made with a heavy heart.
"In the course of an extensive investigation, evidence was found that would indicate that Buchris committed severe sex offenses against a female minor soldier, and a female officer, during the period they served under his command as Commander of the Golani Brigade. In this context it was decided to press charges," the military prosecution stated.
The decision for an indictment was made after the prosecution was convinced that the two female claimants did not have any ulterior motive.
The investigation led, at first, to a delay in Buchris' appointment to the position of Chief Operations Officer, and several weeks later his appointment to the position was cancelled altogether. Those close to Buchris have asserted since the beginning of the saga that a plot is afoot against Buchris. In addition, female soldiers who served under Buchris in the past have said that Buchris was never known to engage in sexual harassment.