Report: Police ready to recommend charging 5 suspects in Sub affair
Channel 2 News reports police are preparing to recommend that indictments be served against 5 of PM Netanyahu's close associates, including his lawyer and former chief of staff, in corruption-ridden Submarine scandal; police stress recommendations are 'irrelevant since the recommendations about indictments are under the exclusive authority of the State Attorney’s Office.'
The Israel Police are expected to recommend that an indictment be submitted against five suspects and close associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the submarine corruption affair, surrounding the procurement of vessels and patrol ships for Israel's Navy from Germany, according to a report Wednesday evening on Channel 2 News.
David Shimron, Netanyahu's cousin and personal lawyer, along with Yitzhak Molcho, Netanyahu's envoy on diplomatic matters, are among the suspects about whom police have reportedely submitted evidence in what is commonly refered to as Case 3000.
In addition, indictments are expected to be recommended against David Sharan, Netanyahu's former chief of staff, former commander of the Israeli Navy Vice Admiral Eliezer "Chiney" Marom and former deputy national security advisor Avriel Bar-Yosef.
Last month, Yedhioth Ahronoth’s Nahum Barnea reported that the case was already reaching the stage of a police recommendation against the prime suspects who have repeatedly made headlines in Israel since the corruption-riddled deal involving the German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp became public.
The police said Wednesday evening that the probe was still ongoing and that the investigative unit has yet to reach the summation stage.
It further emphasized that “any statement about the serving of indictments is not relevant due to the simple reason that recommendations about indictments are under the exclusive authority of the State Attorney’s Office, and not the police."
The statement went on to say, “Just like in all other cases, when the investigation concludes, subject to the investigation summaries, we will announce whether or not there is sufficient evidence.”
Molcho, 72, was detained for questioning at the end of last year for his suspected involvement in the case.
Shimron, Molcho's partner and Netanyahu's attorney, was also detained, and the two were confronted with state witness Miki Ganor as police sought to untangle the conflicting testimony provided.
Bar-Yosef is suspected of receiving bribes from a German businessman to promote his interests in the formulation of the natural gas plan.
Also at the end of last year, Ganor was brought into the interrogation room last week to confront Marom, who headed the Navy between 2007 – 2011, to exhort him to reveal all information about their mutual dealings.
Marom is believed to have received hundreds of thousands of shekels in bribe money from Ganor, who is suspected of acting on behalf of the German company during the deal. "I received the money for consultation I provided for Ganor," he claimed during his questioning.
