22.03.2025 13:30
The police statement of Murat Ongun, the Chairman of the Board of Media AŞ, who was detained in the İBB operation and accused of corruption, has emerged. In response to the secret witness's claims that "money was distributed to delegates so that Özgür Özel would win the election at the Kurultay," Ongun replied, "It's slander." Ongun was also asked about the allegation that money was transferred to Dilek İmamoğlu. Thus, Dilek İmamoğlu's name has also been included in the case file.
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The 131-page police statement of Murat Ongun, the Chairman of the Board of İBB İştiraki Medya AŞ, who was detained as part of the terrorism and corruption investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, has emerged.
"DOES NOT WANT TO BENEFIT FROM REMORSE"
Ongun responded to the question, "Do you want to benefit from the effective remorse provisions that have been explained to you?" by saying, "I do not want to benefit from the effective remorse provisions as I have not committed any crime."
"I HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN ANY TENDER"
In response to the question, "Have you participated in tenders conducted by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for the purpose of purchasing or selling products and services? If so, please explain which tenders you participated in, under what title, and how the tenders were concluded," Ongun stated, "An advisor to the İBB President does not participate in any tenders. I do not take part in tender processes either. There is no tender I have participated in as the Chairman of the Board of Medya AŞ. Because Board Chairmen are not authorized for tenders. Only a small number of tenders that generate income for Medya AŞ come to me for signature."
"EKREM İMAMOĞLU AND MURAT ONGUN ARE AT THE TOP OF CORRUPTION"
In a statement taken from an acquaintance at the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on January 29, it was mentioned, "The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality conducts the rental of outdoor advertising spaces through Kültür AŞ. Kültür AŞ sometimes rents these areas on consignment and sometimes through tenders to third private companies. Especially after 2019, during the period of Ekrem İmamoğlu, it has been determined in advance to whom the tenders made by Kültür AŞ would be awarded, and the specifications were arranged according to the company that would receive the tender. I know this because my company also participated in such tenders and did not win. If there was participation from companies other than those they wanted, they eliminate these companies by adding conditions to the specifications. The remaining companies also submit bids below the tender price, as they have already agreed with the company that won the tender. For example, in a tender for 50 billboards, the company that won the tender does 10 jobs but receives payment for the production, installation, and dismantling of 50 units. The fees for the remaining 40 units are shared with intermediaries without any work being done. In this way, a large amount of corruption is carried out. The part I described regarding production is the simplest aspect. The real big corruption exists in the rental and organization part. Here, Kültür AŞ also commits corruption by giving these jobs to predetermined individuals or companies while taking their own advantages. At the top of this operation are Ekrem İmamoğlu and Murat Ongun, İlbak Holding (İlbaklar), the Subaşı family, and a few other companies that I cannot recall at the moment. These large companies later pass the jobs to subsidiary companies, committing corruption in several stages. Many illegal transactions, such as fake invoices and cash payments withdrawn from accounts, are also carried out in the subsidiary companies," this statement was also asked to Murat Ongun.
"CONTRACTS FROM THE AK PARTY PERIOD CONTINUE"
Ongun replied, "Since the name of the witness was not disclosed to me, I cannot say what grudge this accusation is based on. All of their claims are false and untrue. To give a concrete example, the same billboard contract of İlbak Holding, which existed during the previous AK Party period, continues in our period as well. I have no knowledge of any additional work being received. The other claims are baseless and untrue."
ONE-WORD RESPONSE TO THE CONGRESS ALLEGATION
In the statement of the secret witness in the file regarding the CHP Congress, it was stated, "During the congress period, I was also in Ankara for the election. They had bags full of money that they brought to give to the delegates. They distributed money to the delegates to ensure Özgür Özel wins the election. I witnessed this personally. Additionally, some delegates were given political bribes at the congress. For example, the son of the Bursa CHP Provincial Chairman was hired by İBB Kültür AŞ. Murat Ongun is one of the closest people to Ekrem İmamoğlu. Ongun organizes the operations in social media and the media. People who cannot collect their dues from the municipality reach out to Ongun. He collects their dues in exchange for a commission," to which Ongun responded, "If there is something that can be described as an operation, it should be presented with evidence. I have no relationship with people who have dues from the municipality and cannot collect them." He described the allegations regarding the CHP Congress as "slander."
"A PERSON KNOWS HIS OWN BUSINESS"
Responding to the witness's claim, "Murat Ongun is one of the closest people to Ekrem İmamoğlu. Murat Ongun organizes the operations in social media and the media. People who cannot collect their dues from the municipality reach out to Murat Ongun. He collects their dues in exchange for a commission," Ongun said:
"My duty is to convey the actions and activities of İBB and Ekrem İmamoğlu to the broadest segments of society in the healthiest way. In doing so, no individual or organization is acted against. Only the work is shown. What we do well is called success, not operation. If there is something that can be described as an operation, it should be presented with evidence. The claim of a media operation is merely a rumor that has been circulating for years. I have no relationship with people who have dues from the municipality and cannot collect them. Because this is not within my area of authority. As for the commission statement, it is a newly fabricated slander, akin to "a person knows his own business."
RESPONDED TO THE "DILEK İMAMOĞLU" ALLEGATION
The secret witness Meşe stated in his testimony that the relationship between İmamoğlu's wife, Dilek İmamoğlu, and Murat Ongun is not good, saying, "The Istanbul Foundation has been placed under the control of Dilek İmamoğlu so that she can sustain her own life. In this way, Murat Ongun is sidelined, and amounts like 400 thousand lira in the remaining sample are deposited into the Istanbul Foundation."
Ongun denied the allegation, stating, "I was saddened to hear that the name of the Istanbul Foundation or our president's wife, Ms. Dilek, has been involved in the advertising business for the first time. There has never been such a thing to my knowledge and experience."
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