Former Israel's President Indicted

[Indume Yene]

JERUSALEM – Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was indicted Thursday on rape and other sexual offense charges, after calling off a plea deal that would have allowed him to escape jail time.

Katsav was charged with raping a woman who once worked for him, in addition to lesser sex crimes involving two other former employees. The indictment was filed in a Tel Aviv district court.

Attorney General Meni Mazuz notified the former president two weeks ago that he would be charged.

Days later, Katsav delivered a 2 1/2-hour televised harangue in which he denied all charges, fiercely attacked his accusers and waved a compact disc that he said would prove his innocence.

The women worked for Katsav when he was tourism minister in the 1990s and president earlier this decade. They have accused him of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment, in a case that has been dragging on for nearly three years.

Katsav allegedly forced one of the women to the floor of his office at the tourism ministry, where we pulled off her pants and raped her, according to the indictment. A second time, he summoned her to a Jerusalem hotel to go over paperwork, and raped her on the bed in his room, it added.

Katsav, 63, resigned two weeks before his seven-year term ended in 2007 under a plea bargain that would have required him to admit to lesser charges of sexual misconduct but avoid jail time. Last April, he called off the deal and said he would stand trial to clear his name.

No trial date has been set.

The charges against Katsav are the most serious allegations ever brought against an Israeli leader.

Although Israel's presidency is a largely ceremonial position, the allegations roiled the country by portraying the man who was supposed to be Israel's moral compass as a predatory boss who forced himself on female employees.

Katsav was replaced by elder statesman and Nobel peace laureate Shimon Peres.

Source: Reuters.

MAONI YANGU: Sisi hapa Tanzania kinachotushinda ni nini???? Kuna upupu mwingu uliofanywa na waheshimiwa marais wetu wa zamani, wanapaswa kuwa responsible. Hawajawahi hata kuitwa na tume au kamati za Bunge. Jamani hebu tuwe wastaarabu kwa kufuata sheria zetu. Mtu akivunja sheria sharti afikishwe kunakostahili (Mbele ya vyombo vya sheria). Hakuna cha nchi kutotawalika hapa, hivi ni vitisho tu kama vile vilivyokuwa vinatolewa wakati wa harakati za kuanzisha mfumo wa vyama vingi au hivi vya hapa juzi pale mkurugenzi wa Tanesco alipotishia nyau eti tusiponunua mitambo ya Dowans nchi itakabiliwa na giza. B#@%&*t.

 

[Nono]

JERUSALEM – MAONI YANGU: Sisi hapa Tanzania kinachotushinda ni nini???? Kuna upupu mwingu uliofanywa na waheshimiwa marais wetu wa zamani, wanapaswa kuwa responsible. Hawajawahi hata kuitwa na tume au kamati za Bunge. Jamani hebu tuwe wastaarabu kwa kufuata sheria zetu. Mtu akivunja sheria sharti afikishwe kunakostahili (Mbele ya vyombo vya sheria). Hakuna cha nchi kutotawalika hapa, hivi ni vitisho tu kama vile vilivyokuwa vinatolewa wakati wa harakati za kuanzisha mfumo wa vyama vingi au hivi vya hapa juzi pale mkurugenzi wa Tanesco alipotishia nyau eti tusiponunua mitambo ya Dowans nchi itakabiliwa na giza. B#@%&*t.

Tanzania wabunge wengi wanawezeshwa kuwa wabunge na mwenyekiti ambaye ndiye rais, na rais ndiye mwenye mpini (Mkapa aliwahi kuwaambia, watakaopingana nae watakutana chimwaga). Pili, kwa kuwa rais ana yake moyoni, ambayo hayatofautiani sana na mtangulizi wake, basi hawezi kuwa tayari kuthubutu kwani mwosha huoshwa. Kinachoweza kufanya haya yawepo Tanzania ni sisi wananchi tatakapokuwa tumesema sasa basi imetosha, tunahitaji mustakabali mpya wa nchi yetu.

MKJJ amaekuwa akiuliza hapa jamvini taarifa watu wanazomwagiwa wanazifanyia nini? ni kusoma na kupata tu yaliyofanyika? Mimi nadhani hapana, labda hawajapata mahali pa kuanzia na siku zote moto ili uwake lazima kuwe na chanzo.

 

[Indume Yene]

Tanzania wabunge wengi wanawezeshwa kuwa wabunge na mwenyekiti ambaye ndiye rais, na rais ndiye mwenye mpini (Mkapa aliwahi kuwaambia, watakaopingana nae watakutana chimwaga). Pili, kwa kuwa rais ana yake moyoni, ambayo hayatofautiani sana na mtangulizi wake, basi hawezi kuwa tayari kuthubutu kwani mwosha huoshwa. Kinachoweza kufanya haya yawepo Tanzania ni sisi wananchi tatakapokuwa tumesema sasa basi imetosha, tunahitaji mustakabali mpya wa nchi yetu.

MKJJ amaekuwa akiuliza hapa jamvini taarifa watu wanazomwagiwa wanazifanyia nini? ni kusoma na kupata tu yaliyofanyika? Mimi nadhani hapana, labda hawajapata mahali pa kuanzia na siku zote moto ili uwake lazima kuwe na chanzo.

Hapo Mkuu Nono umenena. Haingii kichwani mtu kuvurunda kiasi kile halafu Rais anaendelea kukenulia watu meno. Lililopo hapa kama ulivyodokeza ni kuiga mifano kama nchi zingine ambazo wananchi wake wanagomea viongozi wao wakianzia na maandamano ya hali ya juu. Demokrasia haiji bila heavy price, tutaliapa hiyo price ili vizazi vijavyo kufaidi matunda yetu. Huu unatakiwa kuwa wajibu wa kila Mtanzania.