Last update - 00:00 04/09/2007
Sderot Mayor takes leave of absence in wake of criminal probe against him
By Jonathan Lis and Mijal Grinberg, Haaretz Correspondents
Sderot Mayor Eli Moyal announced Tuesday that he was taking an unlimited leave of absence, in the wake of a criminal investigation against him for impropriety in his management of the municipality.
"I decided to take leave, so that no one can say that Sderot's protest [against Qassam rocket fire] is connected to the investigation against me," he told Haaretz.
On Monday, police national fraud investigators raided the municipality's offices.
Moyal said he began Tuesday morning by carrying out preparations for Sderot residents' planned protest Wednesday in Jerusalem. "Immediately rumors started in the town that I am fighting for Sderot in order to push aside the investigation against me," said Moyal. "These rumors are unacceptable to me. I will take leave, allow employees to be questioned and allow police to do their job."
Moyal has said on several occasions that he welcomes the investigation, saying it offers him the opportunity to prove his innocence. Deputy Mayor Oren Malka will fill in for Moyal.
Channel 10 reported in July that Moyal is likely to be questioned over suspicions of financial irregularities in two affairs. The first involves suspicions that he manipulated the tender for fortifying structures against Qassam rockets, in favor of the contracting company "Assum," for whom his brother serves as a lawyer.
The second affair involves painting jobs, and is not connected to fortification work.
Sources from the investigation unit said several months ago that they received information from various sources, including those considered rivals of Moyal, on his management of the municipality.
Due to the conflicts of interests, police are not sure how reliable the information is. Moyal said that issue of the painting jobs has already been settled in court, and that the Assum tender had been conducted according to Home Front Command regulations.