Police say there is currently no evidence for allegations raised by disgraced former prime minister Ehud Olmert, who said one of his predecessors in office, Ehud Barak, took “tens of millions” in bribes when he served as defense minister.
Police investigated following something Olmert told his former aide Shula Zaken in a phone call recorded by Zaken without his knowledge.
“He took bribes in millions, in tens of millions, this lunatic will end up in jail,” Olmert told Zaken in the recording. He was alleging that Barak took kickbacks on arms deals between Israel and countries buying Israeli-made weapons.
According to Channel 2, police will tell Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein that unless new evidence emerges on the matter, there is no cause for a criminal investigation against Barak.
File photo: Then prime minister Ehud Olmert (right) talks to then defense minister Ehud Barak at a cabinet meeting held in July 2007. (Photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski/Flash90)
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