26.05.2026 19:00
Striking details emerged in the bribery and organized crime operation against the CHP-affiliated Güzelbahçe Municipality. It was learned that the detained Mayor Mustafa Günay is also the head of the Peninsula Municipalities Union. The expert report stated that Günay made irregular expenditures of 3.5 million TL from the assets of the union's member municipalities.
In the early hours of the morning, teams from the İzmir Provincial Gendarmerie Command conducted a simultaneous dawn operation at the Güzelbahçe Municipality and the addresses of suspects. According to the details of the investigation meticulously carried out under the coordination of the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, five out of a total of seven suspects, for whom detention orders had been issued, were apprehended at their addresses. It was determined that the other two suspects named in the investigation file, Municipal Council Member Gizem Göçtü and MİRYA Group Official Şamil Göçtü, were abroad. Arrest warrants were issued for these individuals upon the prosecutor's office's instruction, and legal proceedings have been initiated.
The investigation conducted by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office began upon determining that Güzelbahçe Mayor Mustafa Günay, Former Güzelbahçe Mayor Özdem Mustafa İnce, Zoning and Urbanization Director Özgür Bayraktar, former head of the municipal police, Municipal Council Member/Committee Member Gizem Göçtü, her spouse and MİRYA Group Official Şamil Göçtü, the current mayor's spouse Nermin Günay, and Municipal Council Member Sezgin Kuş had committed organized crimes.
BRIBES COLLECTED FROM CONTRACTORS THROUGH A SHELL COMPANY
Examinations revealed that the suspects acted in an organized manner, turning a blind eye to the construction of illegal structures in the district, preventing the demolition of these non-compliant buildings, and obtaining financial benefits in return for these actions. It was learned that the criminal network directed contractors building illegally through intermediary companies and brokers, thereby unjustly increasing their own assets. It was noted that bank receipts related to the bribery scheme and statements from victims and witnesses were included as evidence in the file.
THE MAYOR'S SPOUSE'S COMPANY MANAGED THE BRIBE FLOW
One of the most striking details of the investigation was the method of money flow for the bribes. Technical and financial examinations determined that the company, for which Nermin Günay, spouse of Güzelbahçe Mayor Mustafa Günay, was an official, facilitated the transfer and flow of the bribe money. It was also included in the file through statements that Municipal Committee member Gizem Göçtü and her spouse Şamil Göçtü, both among the suspects, conducted negotiations and meetings regarding the receipt of bribes through their own company.
ACTIVE SINCE 2009
Concrete findings were obtained indicating that the current criminal network has a long history and has been acting together since 2009. The criminal actions of the suspects were individually substantiated through past investigation records, research reports from the İzmir Governorship, and expert witness reports.
3.5 MILLION TL FRAUD THROUGH THE UNION OF MUNICIPALITIES
Meanwhile, it was noted that Güzelbahçe Mayor Mustafa Günay, who is the focus of the operation, is also the President of the Peninsula Union of Municipalities. The expert witness report included that Günay, through this union, made unauthorized expenditures from the assets of member municipalities, causing a total loss of 3.5 million TL to the public.
Teams from the İzmir Provincial Gendarmerie Command expanded the search hours with a new court order obtained based on these critical pieces of evidence. It was reported that search and seizure operations at the suspects' residences, workplaces, vehicles, and the municipal building were planned to last from 05:30 AM to 3:00 PM on May 26, 2026, and that the gendarmerie meticulously continues its operations to seize digital materials and confidential documents. The investigation is being conducted from multiple angles.