Tel Aviv judge convicts former PM Olmert on bribes charge

Handing down his rulings in a case that shaken Israel the country, Tel Aviv District Court Judge David Rosen Monday convicted Ehud Olmert, former prime minister and mayor, of taking bribes from developers of the Jerusalem Holyland estate. Convicted with him were former Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky and nine other defendants on charges of taking or giving bribes. All the leading defendants are liable for jail time. Judge Rosen in reading out his decision praised the state prosecution for going through with the case against formidable pressure from Olmert and his powerful associates, whom he accused of a criminal conspiracy to share out monies obtained from bribes. Three defendants were acquitted.
The judge earlier rejected the prosecution’s application to delay his ruling and wait for the new testimony recently submitted by Olmert’s longtime aid Shula Zaken against her former boss.