Attorney general shuts case against judge probed for sexual crimes

Justice Ministry: After ‘intensive investigation,’ no basis for allegations found

By ToI Staff 13 October 2021, 9:40 pm

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Outgoing-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit at a conference in Tel Aviv, on June 29, 2021. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has closed an investigation against a senior judge on charges of serious sexual offenses.

According to the Justice Ministry, Mandelblit said the case against the judge from an unidentified district court on charges of “sexual crimes and domestic violence” was ordered shut after an “intensive investigation.”

The ministry said no basis was found to accuse the judge in question of any criminal activity.

The details of the allegations as well as the identity of the judge remain under a gag order, the ministry said.

News of the investigation first broke last month, when Channel 12 news reported that a senior official in the justice system was being investigated.

The probe into the allegations was overseen by Mandelblit, State Attorney Amit Aisman and Israel Police chief Kobi Shabtai.

A senior official in the law enforcement establishment told Channel 12 at the time that it was a “particularly sensitive and complicated investigation.” The official said then that if even some of the allegations made were found to be true “it will be hard to believe and comprehend that it really happened.”