Jerusalem - Outgoing Israeli President Moshe Katsav signed a
plea bargain with state prosecutors Thursday under which he will not
be indicted for rape he is accused of committing, but instead will
face a other charges, including committing an indecent act by force.
Under the terms of the deal the president will not serve time in
prison or do community service, but will receive a suspended sentence
and will also have to pay compensation, Attorney-General Menahem
Mazuz told reporters in Jerusalem.
'The president will plead guilty to three charges, and will
receive a suspended sentence and be ordered to pay compensation to
the complainants,' he said.
He said most of the complaints originally levelled against Katsav
had passed their statute of limitations, or else lacked sufficient
evidence.
Mazuz's statement Thursday was delayed while one of the rape
complainants against Katasv petitioned the Supreme Court to postpone
the announcement, arguing she was legally entitled to present a
formal response first. The petition failed.
Mazuz, in an unprecedented decision against an Israeli president,
announced in late January that he had decided in principal on an
indictment against Katsav, saying police had gathered 'enough prime
facie evidence' to press charges over the allegations, which included
rape and sexually harassing three women who worked in the president's
residence.
Katsav, who has steadfastly protested his innocence, took leave of
absence from his largely-ceremonial post in January. He was replaced
by Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, who will remain as acting President
until Katsav's newly-elected successor, Shimon Peres, is sworn in on
July 15.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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