In addition, nine months of service work and a fine of NIS 200,000 were imposed on Ashkelon businessman Yoel Davidi, who was convicted of bribery of Shimoni and a tax offense. Shimoni’s right-hand man, Moshe Ponte, who was convicted of two breaches of trust, was sent to nine months of community service and fined NIS 120,000.
As you may recall, Shimoni is acquitted of bribery regarding the sympathetic media coverage he received in the Ashkelon local newspaper, and the prevention of negative coverage by a local news site.
Judge Benny Sagi ruled that there were no investigative failures in the case, adding that there was disgrace in Shimoni’s actions. “The offenses were committed by the senior official in the municipal hierarchy,” the judge noted. “The public raises its eyes to its elected representatives, where it trusts them and believes in their integrity. It has gained a great deal of trust but has chosen to use that trust for its own private purposes.”
The prosecution asked the court to impose an actual six-year and ten-month imprisonment on Itamar Shimoni. This is after according to the indictment filed against Shimoni about four years ago, he promoted the interests of businessmen in the city of Ashkelon, in order to find funding for the mayor to pay silence compensation for two women who raised claims against him for sexual assault.
Shimoni was accused of accepting a bribe of NIS 466,000 as well as breach of trust, by receiving an additional sum of NIS 575,000 due to being mayor, mostly from unknown sources and in a way hidden from the public eye, without clarifying the source of the funds. In addition, he was charged with tax offenses.
Shimoni was convicted along with his brother Ofer of taking bribes together, and Davidi of giving a bribe, in relation to the sum of NIS 150,000. Shimoni and his brother were also convicted in connection with this offense of money laundering. Shimoni, Ofer and Davidi were acquitted of taking and giving bribes in connection with the actual business relationship between Davidi and Ofer, but convicted Shimoni only, instead of the bribery offense, of breach of trust due to a conflict of interest in this context.
“I was convinced that Davidi, as an Ashkelonite entrepreneur with many interests in the city, and as one who needed the municipality and the mayor, took direct and indirect approaches to Shimoni. And a direct access and communication channel for senior decision-makers in the municipality, headed by the mayor, and to bring about a detour or incitement of the executive and professionals in the municipality to advance his entrepreneurial and business interests. “He is obligated to Davidi both because of the friendship between them, and because of the power of the livelihood that he received from his activities with Davidi,” the verdict reads.
Shimoni petitioned the High Court against his conviction and argued that the verdict against him was given without authority, but Justices Anat Baron, Uzi Vogelman and David Mintz rejected Shimoni’s petition. That began. It is difficult for the judge to serve three years as a result of the hearing in the case, but this should not lead to the revocation of the verdict. “The court’s decision added:” The judge was authorized to terminate and the petitioner’s claims should be rejected.