JERUSALEM, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Israeli President Moshe Katsavwas interrogated on Wednesday for a fifth time, not only over allegations of sexual offenses, but also on those of fraud, breach of trust and bugging phones, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily said.
The investigators arrived at the President's Residence in Jerusalem Wednesday morning and questioned him for six hours. In addition to allegations of sexual assault, police added probes into the president's possible breach of trust and involvement in illegal wiretapping unrelated to initial investigations.
Two senior employees at the President's Residence were interrogated on Tuesday on suspicion of being involved in some of the alleged offenses.
Police also questioned seven women who worked under the president in the course of his various public duties.
In the coming days, the investigation team is expected to assemble all the material collected, and then the head of the team will meet with Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and State Prosecutor Eran Shendar next week to discuss whether there is enough proof to indict the president, and on what accounts he should be accused, the paper said.
The president would not be questioned any more, the paper added.
The 61-year-old head of state was last week grilled for two consecutive days by police, following two sessions in August.
He faced allegations that he forced at least two women employees to have sex with him by abusing his position of authority and suspicions that his office granted illegal pardons to prisoners.
Katsav denied the allegations and rejected calls for resignation.
Earlier in the day, the Knesset (parliament) House Committee approved Katsav's request to temporarily absent himself from his position on Thursday in the swearing-in ceremony of new High Court President Dorit Beinish.
Katsav said that he did not want to stain the ceremony while he was still being interrogated by police officers.
Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik will preside over Beinish's swearing-in ceremony. Enditem
