03.08.2026 14:22
In the trial that lasted 11 days for 63 defendants, 37 of whom were arrested, including Mustafa Bozbey, who was arrested on charges of 'irregularities' and 'bribery' during his tenure as the mayor of Nilüfer and removed from his position as the Metropolitan Mayor, Bozbey, along with 21 others including former Nilüfer Mayor Turgay Erdem, were ordered to remain in detention, while 16 people who were given judicial control conditions were released.
Within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the crimes of 'establishing and managing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes', 'being a member of an organization established for the purpose of committing crimes', 'bribery', 'laundering of property values derived from crime', and 'causing zoning pollution'; a detention decision was issued for 59 people, including Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey and former Nilüfer Mayor Turgay Erdem, who is currently imprisoned. On the morning of March 31, an operation was carried out against the suspects by teams from the Bursa Provincial Police Department's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch Directorate. In a simultaneous operation conducted in 5 provinces, primarily Bursa, including Istanbul, Balikesir, Diyarbakir, and Aksaray, 57 people, including Mustafa Bozbey, his wife, daughter, and siblings, were detained.
30 SUSPECTS ARRESTED
Within the scope of the investigation, 23 people, including Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Bozbey, were arrested. Additionally, statements were taken from 8 people, including Turgay Erdem, who is in prison within the scope of the 'bribery' and 'irregularity' investigation regarding his tenure as Nilüfer Mayor, within the scope of this investigation. Seven of these people were also arrested. Thus, the number of detainees within the scope of the investigation reached 30.
JUDICIAL CONTROL DECISION FOR 33 SUSPECTS
A judicial control decision was issued for 29 people, including Bozbey's wife, daughter, and brother, as well as 1 prisoner currently in prison. While 4 of the suspects were placed under house arrest, 2 were released by the prosecutor's office and the duty court. Following his arrest, Mustafa Bozbey was suspended from duty by the Ministry of Interior.
NUMBER OF DETAINEES ROSE TO 37
While the investigation continued, the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office objected to the release of 5 suspects, who were referred to court with a request for arrest, under judicial control. The objection was accepted by the Bursa 6th Criminal Court of Peace. Arrest warrants were issued for the suspects, and they were taken into custody. Suspects, including the wife of Mustafa Bozbey's brother, were arrested after their procedures. With the arrest of 2 more people detained within the scope of the investigation, the number of detainees reached 37.
'HE USED PUBLIC POWER TO PREVENT BREAKS IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE'
The investigation conducted by the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office was completed, and an indictment was prepared. In the 846-page indictment accepted by the Bursa 2nd Heavy Penal Court; the structure and functioning of two separate criminal organizations alleged to have been operating under the leadership of Mustafa Bozbey and Turgay Erdem were detailed. It was alleged that a organizational structure was established by Mustafa Bozbey, the then Nilüfer Mayor, that public power was used to prevent breaks in this structure, thus ensuring unity, that Bozbey laundered the revenues obtained from crime by actively using the accounts of family members, and that he gave unlawful instructions to other suspects who were members of the organization.
In the indictment; it was requested that Mustafa Bozbey be sentenced to up to 402 years in prison for the crimes of 'establishing and managing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes', 'accepting bribes', 'causing zoning pollution', and 'unlawfully undertaking a public duty', and Turgay Erdem up to 946 years in prison. Prison sentences at various rates were also requested for 61 defendants.
TRIAL BEGAN
The trial of 63 defendants, including Mustafa Bozbey, the suspended Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, began on July 20 at the Bursa 2nd Heavy Penal Court.
16 PEOPLE RELEASED
The hearing, from which members of the press were excluded starting from the 4th day, lasted 11 days. After the defenses of the defendants, witnesses, and party lawyers at the hearing, the court panel ruled for the continued detention of 21 people, including Mustafa Bozbey, Turgay Erdem, and Emin Adanur, and for the release of 16 people, including İldam Aydın Bozbey, the wife of Mustafa Bozbey's brother Ertan Bozbey, under judicial control. The hearing was adjourned until October 5.