In what is rapidly turning out to be one of the most serious cases of bribery ever to rock Israel's legal system, chairman of the Israel Bar Association and member of the Judicial Selection Committee Effi Naveh was questioned for a second time on Thursday morning in a case in which he is suspected of promoting appointments to the judiciary in exchange for sexual favors.
The investigation is currently focused on two major instances of alleged ethical violations committed in exchange for sexual favors. Naveh is suspected of taking steps to secure the appointment of a female lawyer to the magistrates' court bench in exchange for sex and for promoting a magistrates' court judge to the district court in exchange for sexual relations with the judge's wife, a practicing lawyer. In the second instance, the judge was never promoted to the district court.
The investigation became public knowledge on Wednesday morning when investigators arrested Naveh at his home. Police also summoned the female judge whom Naveh allegedly promoted in exchange for sex and the lawyer suspected of trading sex with Naveh in exchange for her husband being promoted to the district court in for questioning.
While the suspects were being questioned at the headquarters of the Lahav 433 Major Crimes Unit in Lod, police investigators searched their homes and the Israel Bar Association offices and seized documents and computer files relevant to the case. At the end of the initial questioning, police decided to request that Naveh's remand be extended for three days and recommended the judge and the lawyer be released on recognizance.
In addition to the suspects, MK Nurit Koren (Likud), a member of the Judicial Selection Committee, gave evidence to the police, as did attorney Ilana Sakar, whom Naveh replaced on the committee.
A senior police official told Israel Hayom on Wednesday that additional suspects would be questioned over the next few days.
On Wednesday evening, Naveh appeared in the Tel Aviv Magistrates' Court for a remand hearing. The head of the police team in charge of the investigation, Chief Supt. Assaf Walfish, told the court, "With a heavy heart, a request to arrest the suspect was issued. According to suspicions, the suspect exploited his lofty status and influence on the appointment of judges."
The judge decided to put Naveh under house arrest for eight days. Naveh is also barred from his own law firm and from the Israel Bar Association for one month.
A senior police official said Wednesday that "Effi Naveh has struck a serious blow to the rule of law. We have seen disgusting pornographic text messages. A person of Naveh's status, who chooses judges who are responsible for citizens' fates, would be expected to be honest, and not behave like a thug."
The investigation into the affair began some two weeks ago, following a tip from Army Radio police correspondent Hadas Shtaif. Acting on the information, head of the National Fraud Unit Cmdr. Yoav Telem issued a gag order on most of the details of the case. The gag order was partially lifted on Wednesday after investigators learned that Naveh was allegedly taking steps to interfere with the investigation and even coordinate stories with other people involved.
In addition to the two main instances of bribery, police have also reportedly acquired additional evidence that points to inappropriate conduct by Naveh in which he appears to have taken advantage of his seniority. Some of the information involves behavior ascribed to him at IBA conferences.
"What the testimonies indicate is that the [IBA] conferences were used to close deals and for sexual exploitation," an official close to the investigation said.
The Israel Police said: "Lahav 433 is carrying out an investigation into suspected crimes of ethical violations regarding the appointment of judges. There is the suspicion that crimes were committed in the appointment of a magistrates' court judge several years ago and an attempt to promote a magistrates' court judge to the district court, who in the end was not [promoted]."
Attorney Adi Carmel, who is representing the female lawyer, said Wednesday: "My client was questioned for hours today. She gave a detailed version of events and cooperated with investigators fully. My client, a veteran attorney who is respected and valued, believes that her conduct was without fault. My client never requested and never received anything from anyone, and the investigators understood that."
