Senior prosecutor alleged to have committed sexual offenses

A senior lawyer in the State Prosecutor’s Office is being investigated on suspicion of committing sexual offenses, Channel 2 television reported Thursday.

The lawyer, who is said to be in charge of some of the most important and sensitive cases for the State Prosecution, allegedly carried out unspecified sexual offenses against a female subordinate at the prosecutor’s office, the report said.

State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan was informed of the claims and after consultations with Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit instructed the Israel Police to investigate the allegations.

Due to the suspect’s senior position at the State Prosecutor’s Office, officials decided to set up a special team of investigators who had not previously worked with him, in an effort to ensure that he did not realize a probe was underway, Channel 2 reported.

The investigators — — among them IDF chief prosecutor Col. Sharon Afek — met numerous times with the alleged victim, but she refused to cooperate. As a result, Justice Ministry spokesman Moshe Cohen told Channel 2, the case was no longer viewed as a criminal matter.

Nitzan informed the lawyer of the secret investigation after he was contacted on the issue by Channel 2.