By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli State Prosecutor’s Office on Sunday voiced its support for a court decision to hear preliminary testimony from New York financier Morris Talansky in the ongoing criminal investigation against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Olmert has no right to challenge the Jerusalem District Court’s decision on Talansky’s deposition scheduled on May 25, the prosecution told the Supreme Court in response to a petition from Olmert, who allegedly received illegal funds from Talansky before becoming the prime minister in 2006.
The American businessman, a witness and key suspect, may not wish to return to Israel to testify at a later date, the prosecution argued, stressing that Talansky is worried that appearance in Israel as a prosecution witness in a criminal case against Olmert would cause him considerable discomfort.
The argument mirrored the District Court’s concern that there is a reasonable chance that Talansky will not desire to return to Israel to testify if an indictment is filed against the prime minister.
However, Olmert’s lawyers had claimed that such an arrangement is groundless since it is not even clear what crimes Olmert is suspected of.
Meanwhile, Israeli police is seeking to question Olmert in the coming days, the second time since the fifth investigation against him emerged earlier this month.
Local daily Ha’aretz reported that the investigators are keen to interview Olmert before Talansky offers his early testimony, due to concerns that Olmert may “doctor” his version to avoid being incriminated if not interviewed before Talansky’s deposition.