A complex legal matter involving the Deputy Mayor of Rishon LeZion, whose name is currently under a gag order, is unfolding. As reported by Meir Turgeman in Ynet, the official is suspected of committing sexual offenses against a secretary who worked at the municipality several years ago. While the main investigation file has been transferred to the District Attorney's Office to decide whether to file an indictment, the suspect has been summoned for additional police questioning regarding a new suspicion: threatening the complainant.
This suspicion arose following a confrontation between the parties at the police station. According to sources familiar with the details, during the confrontation, the Deputy Mayor spoke to the complainant, stating his intention to expose WhatsApp messages she had sent him in the past. The police investigator present in the room perceived this as an improper attempt to intimidate the complainant, leading to the decision to investigate the suspect under caution for the offense of threats, alongside further investigative steps in the original case.
Currently, the case is in the decision-making stage at the District Attorney's Office, with the primary legal dispute revolving around the question of consent. The complainant asserts that due to the power imbalance and his status as a senior official, she was unable to resist his actions, while the suspect maintains his version that these were fully consensual meetings, supported by his claim regarding the existence of personal messages. The suspect's defense attorney, Adv.
Ofer Almog, categorically rejected the suspicion of intimidation. In an official response, the attorney stated that the remarks were made inside the interrogation room, in front of a police officer, out of the suspect's sincere distress when faced with claims he asserts are untrue. It should be noted that since the scandal broke about a month and a half ago, the complainant has not returned to work, while the suspect has resumed his public duties following the end of a 30-day restraining order.
The District Attorney's Office is now required to decide on a case characterized by conflicting testimonies, with significant weight placed on the evidence collected, including mutual claims regarding the nature of the relationship and the events that occurred in the Deputy Mayor's office. The public is awaiting the decision of the District Attorney's Office regarding whether the evidentiary basis is sufficient to file an indictment for sexual offenses, and the extent to which the latest incident in the interrogation room will affect the continuation of proceedings.