25.08.2026 14:30
In the IBB case, where 414 defendants including Ekrem Imamoglu are being tried, Imamoglu's father Hasan Imamoglu made his defense. During the cross-examination by the trial prosecutor, the prosecutor evaluated the money movement between Hasan Imamoglu and Tuncay Yilmaz as an 'exchange of money of unknown origin' and requested that a criminal complaint be filed against Hasan Imamoglu.
The trial of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) case, involving 414 defendants, 53 of whom are detained, including IMM President Ekrem Imamoglu, continues in the new courtroom built by the Istanbul 33rd Heavy Penal Court at the Marmara Closed Prison in Silivri.
In the hearing, after Muzaffer Beyaz's additional defense, the defense of the non-detained defendant, businessman Baran Gonul, began.
Stating that his profession is civil engineering, Gonul said he has been earning his living as a site chief, consultant, and in various construction works for about 12 years, that he founded MB Turkuaz Architecture Construction Company in 2015, and that he has been carrying out construction and subcontracting activities through his company.
Gonul stated that he kept his savings in foreign currency and gold against the high inflation in the country and the depreciation of the Turkish lira, and that he maintained his commercial activities by cashing these assets when needed. Gonul said he sometimes used his income to purchase vehicles and real estate, noted that he kept his foreign currency and gold in rented bank vaults, and that he had previously submitted the related contract to the file.
"I WAS NEVER AN EMPLOYEE OF IMAMOGLU CONSTRUCTION"
Gonul said that since 2021, he has provided subcontracting and site chief services at some construction sites of Imamoglu Construction; he undertook various construction works at the Inmari Play, Inmari Oxygen, Inmari Plus, and Sariyer construction sites. Stating that all these works were contractual and invoiced, Gonul said that the remaining final payments were also made by the trustee, adding, "All the work I did was done officially within the framework of contracts."
Explaining that a site chief was required to extend the duration of the building permit at the Sariyer construction site, Gonul said that he was therefore asked to provide site chief services for a fee. Stating that the architect or engineer serving as site chief must legally be registered with the Social Security Institution (SGK) by the relevant company, Gonul said his SGK registration at Imamoglu Construction was due to this requirement.
Gonul said, "I was never an employee of Imamoglu Construction. The assessment made about me in the indictment as Imamoglu's employee is erroneous."
Gonul explained that he submitted the information list and sample contracts he had kept since 2014 regarding the projects where he served as site chief to the file during the investigation phase, that he explained all his commercial transactions and payments related to the acts alleged against him in the indictment with documents, and that he had no criminal intent.
Gonul said, "The property acquisitions I made are my legal right. It is absolutely unacceptable that the properties I bought with my labor and savings are treated as if they were a crime," and requested his acquittal, as well as the removal of measures on his personal assets, the blocks on his bank accounts, and the travel ban abroad.
Following his defense, Gonul's cross-examination began.
Taking the floor, Ekrem Imamoglu stated that he had only briefly encountered Gonul a few times during site visits, that the company he is a partner in has built thousands of residential units and workplaces throughout its commercial history, and that various commercial relationships were established with hundreds of subcontractors and employees. He asked Gonul, "During the period when I was not directly involved, did you have any unofficial trade with my company, the company I am a partner in?"
Gonul replied, "No, President. As I stated, everything was official and invoiced work."
"A BRUTAL PROCESS THAT LEAVES MY CHILD, MY WIFE, MY FATHER, AND ALL MY FAMILY MEMBERS UNDER ACCUSATION"
Imamoglu also asked Gonul questions regarding the properties he purchased from Dilek Imamoglu.
Imamoglu said, "Here, in this court, we are facing a brutal process, unprecedented in history, where the prosecution seriously puts my child, my wife, my father, and all my family members under accusation."
Recalling that Gonul purchased the properties that Imamoglu and his wife acquired about 17-18 years ago, Imamoglu asked whether there was any other interest relationship apart from this sale.
Gonul stated that he periodically bought and sold real estate, that the apartments he bought from Dilek Imamoglu were within this scope, and said, "I neither know Ms. Dilek nor have I ever spoken to her. The sales were made through power of attorney. I didn't even know it was on her behalf; I learned it at the title deed office."
Gonul explained that the apartments remained with him for about 1.5 years and were then sold piecemeal to different people, saying he bought them to make a profit.
Gonul said, "I didn't have a business meeting with you either. You only came to visit the construction sites once or twice, and we saw each other briefly, that's all. I have nothing else."
Finally, Imamoglu brought up the apartment that Gonul purchased from Imamoglu Construction and still lives in, noting that company employees and subcontractors also sometimes bought residences from the company and could occasionally receive discounts, and asked Gonul whether the sale in question was a 'laundering' activity as the prosecution alleged.
Imamoglu said, "Was this a purchase to meet a need? I'm curious about that too. I'm asking you to learn."
Gonul, on the other hand, stated that he bought the apartment in line with his commercial and personal needs, said he had the residence decorated to his own taste, and that he still lives there. Gonul said, "It is the apartment I still live in. I neither heard nor encountered anything as you described. I have no knowledge of it."
DEFENSE OF HASAN IMAMOGLU
Then, the defense of Ekrem Imamoglu's father, Hasan Imamoglu, began. Hasan Imamoglu explained that he was in the courtroom for the first time, that he had been in trade for about 60 years, that he had lived in Istanbul since 1990, and that he had been making real estate investments for many years.
Imamoglu said, "But apparently, everyone who sells an apartment or buys an apartment here becomes guilty."
"IN MY BUSINESS LIFE, I ALWAYS MADE SURE: NOT TO EAT FORBIDDEN (HARAM) EARNINGS, NOT TO FEED MY FAMILY FORBIDDEN EARNINGS"
Stating that he never gave up his fundamental principles throughout his business life, Imamoglu said, "There are two or three things I have paid attention to in my business life. One is not to eat haram, and another is not to feed my children and family haram."
Reacting to the accusations against him, Imamoglu said, "When I see some of the accusations, I truly marvel at myself. Either we didn't keep up, or those accusing us didn't keep up."
Also criticizing the measures imposed on him, Imamoglu said that in addition to the travel ban abroad, even his retirement pension was seized. Stating that the measure on his retirement pension was later lifted, Imamoglu said, "Of course, you don't need to ask whether it was enough or not; you're part of it too."
Drawing attention to the fact that different generations of his family are being tried within the same case, Imamoglu said, "This court is a bit strange. Grandfather, grandson, and father all together. The crimes are the same. The sameness of the crimes is engaging in trade. If only they had told us in time that engaging in trade was an unlawful act, we wouldn't have done it."
"IT STARTED AS 3.5 MILLION DOLLARS, AND DROPPED TO 380 THOUSAND EUROS"
Reacting to the way the allegations of money transfers regarding him were covered in the press, Imamoglu said that a newspaper published a story saying, "Hasan Imamoglu transferred money of unknown origin to his grandson abroad."
Imamoglu said, "It is both of unknown origin and I made a transfer. First it was 3.5 million dollars, and it dropped to 380 thousand euros. In other words, we are living in an era where lies and slanders are cleared under the guise of confessions."
"I HAVE NEVER EARNED DIRTY MONEY TO NEED CLEARING"
Arguing that he acted in accordance with the law in his commercial life, Imamoglu said, "Since I have never earned dirty money, I have never needed to be cleared. We have always worked properly and done lawful business."
Imamoglu, who stated that he left the management of the company to Tuncay Yilmaz as he got older, said he has infinite trust in Yilmaz and that he manages the company successfully.
Imamoglu said, "I am not being tried here. I am being tried because I am the father of that son of mine who is accused of being a spy, the Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality. I will not say I wish it weren't so, because I am quite pleased."
Referring to the espionage allegations, Hasan Imamoglu recounted that the village where he spent his childhood was used as a Russian headquarters during the Russian occupation.
Imamoglu said that when he was a child, he asked why an elderly person he saw in the village was living in an excluded state, and he was told, "This is what happens to those who spy on the Russians; this is the end of spies."
Imamoglu stated, "Nothing like that has ever come out of our family, our lineage. Because I am a person raised by a veteran grandfather. He would explain to us very well what spying is and what treason against the homeland is."
"LYING IS A MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD, SLANDER IS DONE UNDER THE NAME OF BEING AN INFORMANT"
Reacting to the statements in the file, Imamoglu said, "Unfortunately, in Turkey, lying has become a means of livelihood. Slander is carried out under the name of being an informant."
Stating that the travel ban against him does not matter at his age, Imamoglu asked for the removal of the travel ban imposed on his grandson.
Imamoglu said, "It's a shame, at least lift the travel ban on my grandson who has graduated from two faculties. Because he has joint conferences, he will attend, but he can't go. What is this if not torment?"
"AT THE ANTI-TERROR POLICE DEPARTMENT THEY SAID 'YOU BOUGHT 3 APARTMENTS', I CORRECTED THEM, SAYING 'NO, 4'"
Also touching on the allegation of four apartments against him, Imamoglu stated that he bought and sold many properties throughout his life, saying, "I bought many apartments, not just four. And I didn't buy them just from the Beyaz family."
Imamoglu said that during his statement at the Anti-Terror Police Department, he was told he bought three apartments, and he corrected the number by saying, "No, four."
Imamoglu said, "I didn't know it was forbidden to buy and sell apartments. If I had known, I would never have bought such a thing in my life. I produce them myself too."
Also reacting to the appointment of trustees to his companies, Imamoglu said, "Also, a thing called a trustee was appointed to us. I am saddened that a 60-year commercial life has been brought down to this level."
"I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PERSON WHO CAN LIE SO EASILY"
During his defense, Imamoglu also reacted to the statements of Muzaffer Beyaz, whom he had listened to earlier in the hearing, but did not name him.
Saying, "I just watched a person in the hall; I have never seen a person who can lie so easily," Imamoglu stated that he knows the person in question closely and that they had partnerships in the past.
Imamoglu said, "I wish these businessmen had a record so you could follow them. Those with no clean record clear themselves so well everywhere."
RESPONSE TO FETO ALLEGATION: I DIDN'T BUILD THE SCHOOL WITH FETO, I BUILT IT ALONE
Hasan Imamoglu said, "It was claimed that I built a school with FETO. I didn't build the school with FETO. I built it alone. I couldn't succeed. I sold it to the Turkish National Culture Foundation. They couldn't succeed either and sold it to FETO. In the end, it went to the state. Our service is still a service."
Stating that he would leave the rest of his defense to his lawyers, Hasan Imamoglu expressed his discomfort with going back and forth to court and watching his son as a defendant.
Imamoglu concluded his words by saying, "Going to these courts back and forth... I don't like watching my son. The guilty are innocent, the innocent are guilty, and the informants clear themselves and walk away."
REQUEST FOR CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FROM THE PROSECUTOR REGARDING IMAMOGLU'S FATHER
Then, Hasan Imamoglu's cross-examination began. During the questioning, the prosecutor asked a question about the money exchange with Tuncay Yilmaz, which was not among the charges against Imamoglu in the indictment.
After the question, the Chief Judge warned Hasan Imamoglu, saying, "You are not obliged to answer." The prosecutor, however, insisted on his question.
Answering the prosecutor's question, Hasan Imamoglu stated that there are documents regarding the source of the money movement in question, saying, "There must definitely be a document regarding the source of the money. I don't know, my lawyers will present it."
While Hasan Imamoglu's questioning was ongoing and before his lawyers' statements were taken, the prosecutor gave an interim opinion.
The prosecutor evaluated the money movement between Hasan Imamoglu and Tuncay Yilmaz as a "money exchange of unknown origin" and requested that a criminal complaint be filed against Hasan Imamoglu.
After the prosecutor's interim opinion, the Chief Judge said regarding the request, "We will evaluate it."
Hasan Imamoglu's lawyers, on the other hand, objected to the interim opinion being given for a criminal complaint before their client's questioning was completed and the defense's statements were taken.
After the statements of Imamoglu's lawyers, the hearing was adjourned for an hour.