28.06.2025 11:40
The statement of İBB Council Member Umut Şenol, who was released under the provisions of effective remorse within the scope of the corruption investigation conducted against İBB and Ekrem İmamoğlu, has emerged. In his statement, Şenol said, "I was unintentionally removed from the metrobus advertising areas. When I asked the general manager of Kültür A.Ş. about this, he said that İmamoğlu was aware of the matter and that the 'system' in operation had made such a decision."
The investigation into the corruption allegations against Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was removed from his position as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) and arrested, is ongoing. The statement of the suspect Umut Şenol, an IMM Council Member who was released after benefiting from the effective remorse provisions, has emerged.
"SECRET PARTNER FATİH KELEŞ" Identifying himself as a financial consultant during the identification process, Şenol stated in his testimony, "In 2016, I bought a company called 'Clear Channel' from Americans. After purchasing it, I changed its name to Core Media and started operating in the outdoor advertising sector. This company had a contract for advertising spaces related to the metrobuses' stops and billboards obtained from IMM from 2008 to 2019. The contract I mentioned included the section from Söğütlüçeşme to Avcılar. In 2012, there was also a separate contract signed with Kültür A.Ş. for the section from Avcılar to Beylikdüzü, which would expire in 2022. In July 2019, Hüseyin S., a partner of a company called Urbanmedia, called me and said that I needed to transfer these advertising spaces on the metrobuses to him. Following this, we immediately met face to face. During this meeting, he told me, 'My secret partner in Urbanmedia is Fatih Keleş. That's why you have to transfer this to us; go and tell your troubles to Fatih Keleş. Then you will understand who Fatih Keleş is.' I then met with Fatih Keleş since we were both council members at IMM. When I explained the situation to him, he spoke in a manner that I would have to give this to Urbanmedia. Following this, I went to Kültür A.Ş. to talk to the general manager Serdal T. When I told him why I was facing such treatment, he said that the IMM Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu was aware of the issue, that I needed to transfer this to Urbanmedia, and that there was a 'SYSTEM' that had been operating since the Beylikdüzü period, and that the 'SYSTEM' had made such a decision," he said.
"I WAS TOLD TO CALL MURAT ONGUN, WHO HAS NO OFFICIAL DUTY" Şenol, stating that they were unwillingly removed from the metrobuses' advertising areas, which is the most valuable contract of the company referred to as the backbone of Istanbul, said, "During this process, I identified that there was an unofficial hierarchical structure regarding advertising matters within IMM. Specifically, I served as the vice president of the outdoor advertisers' foundation between 2020-2022. In 2020-2021, during the pandemic period, due to the economic impact on the outdoor advertising sector, I went to the IMM building to meet with the head of the IMM advertising department, Kağan S., to discuss reducing rents. When I mentioned that we were requesting a rent reduction, he directly told me that I needed to call Murat Ongun. However, he should have directed me to the assistant general secretary he was affiliated with. At that time, Murat Ongun had no official duty in this sector. When I spoke with Murat Ongun about the issue, he wanted the companies to come separately and discuss the rent reduction with him. Therefore, with the support of Tevfik Göksu and the AK Party group, I, as the vice president of the foundation and also an IMM council member, managed to pass a council decision unanimously regarding the rent reductions. Thus, the issue was taken out of Murat Ongun's discretion thanks to me," he stated.
"I DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY STAGE OF THIS STRUCTURE" Şenol, who stated that he obtained an appointment from Ekrem İmamoğlu as an IMM council member and vice president of the outdoor advertisers' foundation in 2022, said, "In his office at IMM, I expressed my opinions that there was a significant increase in outdoor advertising areas, that this was disrupting urban aesthetics, and that especially wall and parapet-style advertisements were harming the municipality's own channels and would reduce public revenues in the long term. He indicated that I needed to discuss these matters with Murat Ongun. It became clear that Ekrem İmamoğlu had delegated the entire process regarding outdoor advertising areas to Murat Ongun and was aware of all the processes. During this process, I was not present at any stage or place of this structure. On the contrary, I was victimized. Although I do not accept the accusations against me, I want to benefit from the effective remorse provisions in light of potential future allegations," he said.
"COMPLETELY LEFT TO MURAT ONGUN'S PATRONAGE" Şenol also stated that he wanted to give an additional statement on June 19, saying, "Buğra Gökçe, the assistant general secretary of IMM, to whom the advertising department, which is in a suspect position in the file, is affiliated, is someone I also know socially. In one of our conversations, when I told him that I had made an appointment with Ekrem İmamoğlu regarding the problems related to these advertising areas and that he had given me a negative response, Buğra told me that this area had been completely left to Murat Ongun's patronage by President Ekrem, and that no one other than Murat Ongun could intervene here. I know a person named Serkan Öztürk, who is in a suspect position in the file. He is a close friend of İnan Güney, who is currently the Mayor of Beyoğlu. Serkan Öztürk takes tenders from the district municipalities of the CHP and transfers 90% of the tenders he has received to the companies of İlbak as a subcontractor," he expressed.