The Prosecution Case
Reuven's testimony
Main Investigation (Transcript of July 19, 2021)
- In this project, Reuven created hiding places for the windows of the prison cell doors. The witness was asked about the cost of the work, and at his request, the plaintiff refreshed his memory through his statement to the police (p. 332): In the interrogation on November 27, 2018, the witness calculated that the invoice was NIS 56,000, before VAT 47,836, the work was NIS 26,000 before VAT, the difference was NIS 21,683. From this sum, the witness deducted 10% of taxes and left a sum of NIS 19,875 – this is the sum he transferred to the defendant in cash. In his testimony, the witness noted that this was "more or less" true. However, Reuven also stated in his testimony that the IPS asked him to carry out additional cover-ups, so that the cost of the work changed and he received a higher sum for the work, about 10,000-12,000 shekels, and in the end transferred a lower sum to the defendant (pp. 333-334). Reuven did not mention this in his interrogations with the police about three years earlier. According to him, he recalled these things later (p. 335). He did not deny that the cost and his initial offer were NIS 26,000, but claimed that following a change in the scope of the work, he transferred the defendant a sum of about NIS 10,000. This was when the police, as well as in the course of his confession in the indictment filed against him, he admitted that he had transferred the sum of NIS 19,875 (pp. 336-337). Reuven explained that he admitted to this when he was under the pressure of the interrogation, but the prosecutor reminded him that it was not only an interrogation, but also in court, when he was represented (pp. 338-339).
He transferred the money to the defendant near the facility where he works in Ramle (p. 339).
- During the testimony, the question arose as to why Reuven sent the defendant on July 19, 2018, the day he began work according to the IPS entry records, the invoice in the sum of NIS 56,000, including VAT issued by the witness to D.B.S. on the same day (invoice P/57; sent via WhatsApp to the defendant P/59). Reuven replied that he had sent the defendant the tax invoice on WhatsApp in order to receive a check for it (pp. 339, 341).
- Reuven was referred to call No. 5489 of October 3, 2018 – a conversation in which the defendant asked him if he had succeeded in breaking the check. Reuven testified that it was a check that the defendant had given him for the work of hiding. It was a deferred check, due on October 15, 2018 (p. 342). He was supposed to transfer part of the amount to the defendant and the defendant did not know the date of payment of the check (p. 343).
- The witness was also referred to call No. 5842 of October 8, 2018. In the first part of the short conversation, we talked about the checks that Reuven was supposed to pay. The defendant wanted the part that Reuven had to transfer to him – a small part, in cash – as quickly as possible (p. 344).
Cross-examination (transcript of October 7, 2021)
- In this project as well, there were additions in relation to his initial proposal (p. 380). After the addition, a total of about 60 hiding places were discussed (p. 391). At the beginning of the project, he submitted a price quote of about NIS 30,000, including VAT. Afterwards, he was asked to present one hiding place to the prison commander, and as a result, he was asked to make a change in the thickness of the bin that occupies the hiding place (thicker tin) and in the reinforcements of the hiding place (pp. 391-392). The witness gave a price quote according to a hiding unit, but he does not remember what the price per unit was (p. 392). In his estimation, it was NIS 500-600 per unit, and it is possible that after the upgrades, NIS 700-800, including installation and not including VAT, i.e., about NIS 1,000 per unit including VAT (p. 393), and a total of about NIS 60,000 including VAT for 60 concealments (p. 394).
The Haganah Affair