30.03.2026 11:40
It has been revealed through records that Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım, who was detained as part of a bribery investigation, met and vacationed in Batumi with his municipal employee girlfriend using different routes. The airplane tags found in their suitcases also confirmed the trip.
New details regarding the bribery and corruption allegations at Uşak Municipality have emerged as part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
HE WAS DETAINED IN A HOTEL
As part of the investigation, a detention order was issued for Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım and 11 others, and Yalım was caught in a hotel room with S.A. (21), who is reported to be a municipal employee, in Ankara.
OVERSEAS VACATION REFLECTED IN RECORDS
According to a report by Sabah newspaper, records included in the investigation file revealed that Yalım vacationed abroad with his municipal employee girlfriend S.A. According to the records, Yalım departed from Istanbul Airport on Saturday, March 21, at 11:30 AM and flew to Batumi, Georgia, on a flight that took off at 1:45 PM, landing at 4:40 PM.
THEY MET AT THE SAME POINT WITH DIFFERENT ROUTES
It was determined that S.A. crossed the border abroad through the Artvin Sarp Border Gate on Sunday, March 22, at 12:10 AM. Despite using different routes, it was revealed that the couple met in Batumi and vacationed together.
LUGGAGE TAGS CONFIRMED THE DETAILS
According to the records, Yalım and S.A. entered Turkey through the Sarp Border Gate on the morning of March 24 at 6:52 AM. The couple, who later traveled from Rize-Artvin Airport to Ankara on the same day, was caught in an operation conducted at a hotel in Ankara. The airplane tags found in their luggage also confirmed the trip.
SALARY WITHOUT GOING TO WORK
Meanwhile, another striking finding that emerged from the investigation was the staffing practices in the municipality. It was determined that A.A., who was identified as Yalım's second girlfriend, was hired by the municipality in 2024. However, it was revealed that A.A. received a salary without going to work and traveled abroad using municipal resources. This situation exposed the "phantom employee" practice in the municipality.