Rabbi ‘humiliated’ by charges, says lawyer
A LAWYER for Adelaide's Rabbi Yossi Engel has told the Adelaide Magistrates' Court his client has been 'humiliated' by charges laid against him.
AJN STAFF
A LAWYER for Adelaide’s Rabbi Yossi Engel has told the Adelaide Magistrates’ Court his client has been “humiliated” by charges laid against him over alleged fraud in applying for government funds.
Rabbi Engel and his wife Chana face 39 charges of dishonestly dealing with documents, relating to applications for $50,000 from South Australia’s Ethnic Schools Board.
The Engels did not appear in court on Wednesday October 28, but lawyer Ron Bellman told the court the longevity of the case has made it hard for his client.
“This case has been in gestation for three years. My client is a rabbi and, basically, has been humiliated,” Bellman said.
“The position my client is facing is quite horrendous because he can’t even get on with his life.”
Bellman told magistrate Terry Forrest the matter could not proceed any further until South Australian Police responded to written requests for information relating to the charges.
The magistrate adjourned the case to January 12.