Kiryat Malakhi Mayor Motti Malka, arrested for a series of serious crimes including the rape of a municipal employee rejected the allegations saying his sexual relationship with the employee was consensual. Speaking to journalists at the Petach Tikva, where he appealed the court decision to extend his remand, Malka said the case was "complete nonsense." His appeal was rejected.
Malakhi is suspected of raping, harassing and abusing a municipal employee, after the consensual affair they had been having ended in May 2010. The woman said she had been warned she would be harmed if she complained of the rape.
One of the victim's family members claimed that the case was only one in a larger pattern of behavior. "If you look into it you'll find at least ten more cases like this one. The mayor here is like Katsav 2 but worse," he said.
The mayor is also suspected of receiving sexual favors from a single mother in exchange for reduced city tax rates, and taking bribes from contractors. In one case, Malka was allegedly given an apartment by a contractor in exchange for various benefits.
The mayor's son, Shahar, is suspected of extorting a municipal council member.
Malka's attorneys Avi Himi and Zion Amir said in court the woman who had complained of rape had obsessively pursued Malka, who wasn't interested in her.
The attorneys asked the court to slap a publication ban on the details of the inquiry, including Malka's name, but the Rishon Letzion Magistrate's Court ruled the public had a right to know.
The court also said it's in the interest of the investigation to publicize the case, as other victims and complainants may come forward.
The arrests followed a covert police investigation into allegations of several incidents of rape and extortion in Kiryat Malakhi.