Prosecutors to charge Moti Malka, but not for rape
Kiryat Malachi mayor to face charges of indecent acts, accepting bribes; state cites lack of evidence on sexual charges.
By JPOST.COM STAFFPolice car in Tel Aviv at night 311(photo credit: Yoni Cohen)
The State Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that it will charge Kiryat Malachi Mayor Moti Malka with two counts of indecent acts and taking bribes in his capacity as mayor, but will not file charges related to the most serious accusations against him, rape.The investigation into Malka over the rape and sexual assault allegations were closed due to insufficient evidence, the prosecution said in a statement.After careful examinations of the two sexual assault allegations, the prosecutor explained, "there is no room to indict Mr. Malka on these two matters, due to the lack of a reasonable chance of conviction."The mayor’s arrest – along with that of a second senior official, who is also suspected of rape – followed an undercover investigation by the National Fraud Unit.According to police suspicions, Malka also took a “sexual bribe” from a single mother in exchange for lowering her municipal land tax (arnona), and accepted a bribe from a contractor in the form of an apartment placed at his disposal, where sexual encounters took place.Malka has denied the suspicions, saying sexual relations took place with consent, and that he ended the relationship.Five additional municipality officials were arrested over suspicions of receiving bribes, extortion, fraud and breach of trust.Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.
