Ex-Israeli PM gets additional eight months in prison for graft

Tel Aviv: Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday was sentenced to an additional eight months in prison following his recent conviction in a Jerusalem court for corruption.

The new prison term will be added to another one of six years, which Olmert received in another graft case, and is set to start within 45 days, Xinhua reported.

Olmert's lawyers said they would appeal the latest verdict.

Olmert was convicted in the "Talansky Affair" case in March on charges of fraud, breach of trust and aggravated fraud, after the state decided to retry the case.

Olmert had been acquitted from the affair in July 2012, but new testimony by his former aide, Shula Zaken, allowed the prosecution to retry the case.

The former prime minister was also meted a fine of $25,000 during his sentencing on Monday.

Olmert was convicted of receiving envelopes full of cash from American businessman Morris Talansky in exchange for political favours.

In 2014, Olmert was sentenced to six years in prison by the Tel Aviv District Court for his role in a real estate project in Jerusalem. Olmert was found guilty of taking bribes as then mayor of Jerusalem in exchange for expediting construction procedures.

Olmert, who served as prime minister between 2006 and 2009, announced his resignation in late 2008 as corruption allegations started to surface against him.