The Supreme Court today rejected Asher Yadlin’s appeal against the severity of his five-year jail sentence for accepting bribes. The court confirmed the sentence imposed on the former chairman of Kupat Holim (sick-fund), and also confirmed the IL 250,000 fine levied by the Tel Aviv District Court.
A three-justice bench headed by Supreme Court President Dr. Joel Sussman said Yadlin’s acts had “sullied the national atmosphere,” had caused widespread depression among Israelis and a widespread lowering of public trust in persons with responsible public appointments.
The court, in its written judgement, flayed Yadlin’s claim-in-mitigation that he had accepted the bribes–mainly from building contractors–on behalf of the Labor Party to which he said he funnelled the money. This was never proven and the District Court in its judgement raised doubts as to the veracity of his claim. Immediately after the hearing, Yadlin was driven back to the Ramle jail where he works in the prison’s accounts department.
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