A panel of judges in a Tel Aviv court convicted Moshe Katsav, Israel's eighth president, guilty of several charges of rape and other sexual abuse of female employees during his tenure both as president and as tourism minister.

Israel former President Moshe Katsav

"The defendant was found unreliable and the complainant's testimony on her rape in the office and hotel were found credible, " local news service Ynet quoted Judge George Karra as saying.

 

The verdict is handed down more than four years after complaints surfaced of severe sexual offenses against his employees.

Katsav was elected as the president in July 2000, and resigned in July 2007.