23.10.2026 00:51
In the investigation conducted in Adana into Çukurova Municipality over allegations of "corruption in tenders and direct procurements," Mayor Emrah Kozay, as well as former Mayor Soner Çetin and two deputy mayors, were arrested.
Çukurova Mayor Emrah Kozay was arrested as part of an investigation into allegations of "corruption in tenders and direct procurements" concerning Çukurova Municipality.
ARREST DECISION FOR CURRENT MAYOR AND FORMER MAYOR According to the information obtained, among those detained as part of the investigation into Çukurova Municipality, a decision was made to arrest Çukurova Mayor Emrah Kozay, former Mayor Soner Çetin, current Deputy Mayors Uğur Can Doğan and Bahadır Özdemir, and Kozay's aunt Sıdıka Şire.
However, a "house arrest" measure was ordered for İmar AŞ General Manager Erdal Biber.
Çukurova Mayor Emrah Kozay INVESTIGATION INTO ÇUKUROVA MUNICIPALITY The Adana Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation into the crimes of "establishing, managing, and being a member of an organization with intent to commit crime," "bribery," "aggravated fraud," and "rigging a tender" regarding allegations that irregularities were committed in tenders and direct procurements carried out at Çukurova Municipality; that the "exception" provision in Article 3/g of the Public Procurement Law No. 4734 was used improperly in purchases made through the municipality-affiliated joint-stock company; that bribes were received in return for progress payments to contractors who took work from the municipality; and that some municipal personnel were paid salaries even though they did not actually go to work.
Based on the expert report prepared as a result of the examination conducted by a three-person expert committee on the tender and direct procurement documents for 2024, 2025, and 2026 obtained from Çukurova Municipality following reports within the scope of the file, and in line with other evidence obtained as part of the investigation, an operation was carried out on October 19 by the Provincial Gendarmerie Command KOM Branch teams against 51 suspects, including Çukurova Mayor Kozay, former mayor Çetin, 4 deputy mayors, and 1 manager of the municipality-affiliated joint-stock company.
In the operation, 44 suspects were detained, including Çukurova Mayor Emrah Kozay, former Mayor Soner Çetin, and 4 deputy mayors.