Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Liberman sat in a Petach Tikvah Magistrate’s court on Thursday for a first hearing in the criminal complaint and defamation charges that Liberman filed against Yossi Kamisa.
Kamisa claims that Liberman offered him $100,000 to kill a police superintendent some 20 years ago. Kamisa was either a former Yisrael Beytenu activist (according to Liberman) or an advisor to Liberman (according to Kamisa). Kamisa also made a number of additional claims against the Liberman, including that Liberman had financial interest in the Jericho casino, and secret business dealing in the Congo.
Kamisa has demanded that Liberman remove his parliamentary immunity and take a polygraph test.
The judge said that Liberman will need to be present for all the upcoming proceedings.
A number of Yisrael Beytenu’s party members and Liberman’s close associates have been convicted on various corruption charges, but Liberman was never a suspect in those cases.
Liberman has had his share of investigations against him for 17 years, but no charges were ever filed.
