The trial against Israel’s disgraced ex-president was postponed.
Lawyers for Moshe Katsav asked to review the allegations of sexual misconduct.
Katsav was to have appeared Wednesday in Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court and admit having molested and sexually harassed female staffers while in office. Under a plea bargain, the confession would have spared him graver rape charges and prison time.
But the court appearance was postponed by two weeks, with Katsav’s lawyers asking the State Attorney’s Office for the full testimony of the main complainant.
That prompted an angry response from her counsel, who suggested Katsav’s team is seeking ways to undermine the case against him despite the fact he already accepted a plea bargain.
Under the deal, prosecutors have asked that Katsav receive a suspended prison sentence and pay $12,000 in damages to the complainants. That, however, does not preclude the court from handing a tougher punishment.
