During testimony given in a case against Roniel Fischer by former Israel Police officer Eren Malka, the latter released information that has a direct impact on the case involving Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto.

During his testimony, Malka revealed the inner workings of the police department’s investigations unit in 2005, a time period where Rabbi Pinto was under surveillance for possible law-breaking. Malka reports that then commander of the unit, Ephraim Bracha, refused to launch an investigation against Pinto.

The investigation revealed that money laundering and other illegal activities led to channeling funds to Rabbi Pinto’s mosdos. Malka explains his men documented money transfers into Rabbi Pinto-affiliated accounts but Bracha refused to order a formal investigation, reportedly insisting “we don’t investigate him”.

Malka testified “I explained to him that we documented the money transferred to Rabbi Pinto’s court and that we must investigate, but Ephraim told me quietly ‘forget it, it is not necessary’.

Malka’s testimony is in direct contradiction to statements given to police by Malka, for he insisted he and Rabbi Pinto did not have a close relationship and they do not know one another for too long. Rabbi Pinto has been maintaining they are long time good friends and that he assisted his friend Bracha financially at times.

Pinto is a state witness in the bribery case against Bracha and the testimony given by Malka in an unrelated case gives another measure of credibility to Rabbi Pinto’s statements against Bracha, which the latter insists are untrue.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)