20.03.2025 15:40
According to the witness statement obtained in the corruption investigation, it was alleged that the fugitive suspect Ertan Yıldız and the suspect Süleyman Atik demanded a bribe of 5 million euros from the owners of Capacity Shopping Mall by threatening to obtain a "municipal council decision stating that the shopping mall is not earthquake-resistant." It was claimed that after they were unable to receive the money, the municipality imposed a fine of 197 million lira on the shopping mall.
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According to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, within the scope of the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), it is claimed that fugitive suspect Ertan Yıldız, who has an arrest warrant issued against him, and suspect Süleyman Atik demanded bribes from the owners of Capacity AVM, and as a result of the complainants not paying the bribe, the municipality imposed a fine of 197 million lira on the AVM owners.
The investigation initiated against IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu and 99 suspects for the crimes of "being a leader of a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "extortion," "bribery," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with a tender" is ongoing.
"YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO OPPOSE THE PERSON WHO WILL BE THE PRESIDENT"
According to the witness statement taken in the investigation, it was alleged that IMM Council Participation Related Organizations Commission Chairman fugitive suspect Ertan Yıldız and detained suspect Süleyman Atik threatened the complainants, the owners of Capacity AVM, with the statements, "You have earned enough here for 15 years, give us 5 million euros, otherwise we will get a municipal council decision stating that the AVM is not earthquake-resistant." It was also noted in the witness statements that suspect Atik threatened the complainants by saying, "You would not want to oppose the person who will be the president in 2 years."
In the investigation, it was claimed that after the bribe offer to the AVM owners, the municipality imposed a fine of 197 million lira as a result of the complainants not making the payment.
In the investigation, which includes the allegation that a report was obtained stating that the AVM is not earthquake-resistant, it was stated that the Administrative Court issued a stay of execution regarding the said fine, and it was claimed that the municipality imposed the fine unlawfully because it could not receive a bribe.
HE PUT HIS MOBILE PHONE IN HIS WIFE'S BAG
On the other hand, it was learned that fugitive suspect Ertan Yıldız was aware of the investigation against him and therefore placed his mobile phone in his wife's bag to create an appearance of being at home.
Yıldız, who resorted to this method to escape police surveillance and previously had a travel ban, is believed to have escaped by fleeing through another entrance of the site where he lived, avoiding capture, and has fled abroad through illegal means.
87 SUSPECTS IN CUSTODY
Within the scope of the corruption investigation, it was reported that 83 suspects, including IMM President İmamoğlu, were detained, 10 suspects are fugitives, and 7 suspects were found to be abroad.
Additionally, in the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for aiding the terrorist organization PKK/KCK, it was determined that 4 of the 7 suspects, including İmamoğlu, were detained, while 3 suspects were found to be fugitives.
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