18.08.2026 15:11
The trial of the case with 414 defendants, including 53 detained, among them dismissed Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, continues. Imamoglu's family friend and business partner of 18 years, contractor Seyfi Beyaz, testified. Beyaz stated that he stands by his previous statements given to the prosecutor's office and recounted that they paid money and real estate during the permit and occupancy certificate process for the West Side project. Beyaz's statements to the prosecutor's office contain striking allegations. Beyaz claimed that 3 million TL and 100 thousand TL were paid for the occupancy permit.
The 65th hearing of the case in which 414 defendants, 53 of them detained, are being tried for the "Imamoglu criminal organization established for profit" began yesterday. At the hearing held by the Istanbul 33rd Heavy Penal Court in the hall opposite Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution, Ekrem Imamoglu's family friend and business partner of 18 years, Seyfi Beyaz, gave testimony.
ADMITTED TO PAYMENTS CONSTITUTING BRIBERY
Beyaz admitted to making payments constituting bribery during the permitting and occupancy permit processes in the project named West Side, and stated that he stands by the statements he previously gave to the prosecutor's office.
WHAT HAD HE TOLD THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE?
The statements dated April 25, May 14, May 26, and October 6, 2025, included in the case file, contain striking allegations regarding demands for money, checks, real estate, and other benefits allegedly shaped around the permitting and occupancy permit processes in the West Side project.
One of Seyfi Beyaz's clearest statements was in his additional statement dated May 26, 2025. Describing the permitting and occupancy permit processes of West Side, Beyaz said, "We did not give the apartments and money voluntarily. We had to give them during the occupancy permit and construction permit processes."
Beyaz claimed that if the demands were not met, the permitting and occupancy permit procedures were not concluded, arguing that he was not the perpetrator of the crime but the party subjected to pressure. His lawyers also argued that the events should be evaluated within the scope of "extortion."
"IF YOU GIVE 3 MILLION, I WILL GET YOUR OCCUPANCY PERMIT"
One of the most striking allegations in Seyfi Beyaz's statement dated May 26 was his claim that 3 million TL was demanded for the occupancy permit of West Side.
Beyaz explained that hundreds of rights holders had filed lawsuits because the occupancy permit could not be obtained, and even electricity and water subscriptions could not be made. According to the allegation, Adem Soytekin told them, "If you give 3 million, I will get your occupancy permit."
Beyaz said the partners accepted this demand and asked for an invoice so the payment could be recorded in official records. He stated that an invoice of 3 million 540 thousand TL including VAT was issued and the payment was made. However, according to Beyaz, even though this payment was made, the occupancy permit still did not come out.
AFTER THE 3.54 MILLION INVOICE, ANOTHER 100 THOUSAND TL
Beyaz recounted that even though a few months passed after the 3 million TL payment, the occupancy permit issue was not resolved.
According to his statement, Oktay Hamzaoglu called him and asked him to meet with Adem Soytekin. Beyaz claimed that he met Soytekin at Mado in West Side, and the then Deputy Mayor of Beylikduzu, Veysel Ercevik, also came to the meeting.
According to Beyaz's claim, Ercevik said, "If you give 100,000 TL, we will resolve it in one day."
Beyaz said the offer was accepted, the 100 thousand lira was delivered to Adem Soytekin within a short time, and the occupancy permit was obtained two days after the money was given. He stated that the date of the occupancy permit was November 12, 2019, and argued that if the payment date and phone signal records were investigated, the meeting could be confirmed.
"IF WE HADN'T GIVEN, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT"
Beyaz's statement dated October 6, 2025 also contains a harsher sentence regarding the same process. Saying that some of the apartments and shops given to Adem Soytekin within the scope of West Side were compensation for the work he did, Beyaz then used the following statement:
"However, the majority are properties transferred regarding the problems encountered at the municipality. (...) In fact, if we hadn't made the transfer, they wouldn't have given the occupancy permit."
Beyaz's statement became one of the most striking accounts in the file regarding the bribery charge directed at him by the prosecutor's office.
ALLEGATION OF 7 SHOPS, 5 APARTMENTS, AND A CHECK OF 3.5 MILLION LIRA
In his statement given on October 6, Beyaz claimed that negotiations were conducted through Adem Soytekin to resolve the problems with the municipality during the construction of West Side.
Beyaz recounted that after negotiations among the four project partners, they gave Soytekin 7 shops and 5 apartments, which he said were worth approximately 10 million TL at their then-current value, and also paid a check worth 3 million 500 thousand TL.
Beyaz noted that he could not find the check stubs, and therefore did not remember which company issued the checks or whether they bore his signature.
4 PROPERTIES TO HASAN IMAMOGLU: SHAM DEPOSITS MADE
One of the most striking allegations in the file concerned the transfer of properties registered in the name of Ekrem Imamoglu's father, Hasan Imamoglu. In his initial account, Beyaz said that 3 or 4 of the 5 apartments were transferred to Hasan Imamoglu's name. He was reminded that law enforcement investigations had determined that 4 properties were transferred to Hasan Imamoglu.
Beyaz did not deny this finding and said, "That's correct, it could be." However, the allegation that drew the most attention concerned the method of payment. Beyaz claimed that during the transfer of these properties, money was deposited into the bank account of the joint partnership consisting of four companies "as a sham," and the deposited money was later taken back in cash.
According to Beyaz's statement, among those who came to take the money back were Tuncay Yilmaz and Hasan Imamoglu. Beyaz also said they would submit the money withdrawal receipt and information about who delivered the money to whom to the prosecutor's office.
"HASAN IMAMOGLU CAME TO THE OFFICE AND TOOK THE MONEY BACK IN CASH"
Beyaz also recounted the same allegation in his statement dated April 25. Saying that Hasan Imamoglu bought 3 apartments in West Side and that the normal sale price for the apartments was paid, Beyaz stated that Hasan Imamoglu later came to the office and took back the paid amounts in cash.
Thus, the file included the matter that the properties were transferred under the guise of a normal sale, and the payments were later returned in cash.
DID THE REQUEST TO TRANSFER THE APARTMENTS TO HASAN IMAMOGLU COME FROM CALIK?
In his statement dated October 6, Beyaz claimed that the request to transfer the apartments into Hasan Imamoglu's name came from the then Deputy Mayor of Beylikduzu, Mehmet Murat Calik. Beyaz alleged that the request was communicated to them again through Adem Soytekin.
It was also stated that another property in West Side was allocated to the family of a personnel member who lost his life while working at the Beylikduzu Municipality. Beyaz recounted that they were asked for an apartment for the wife and children of the municipal personnel, and that the family in question had been living in this apartment for about 5-6 years.
Stating that Adem Soytekin wanted the apartment to be transferred to the municipality, Beyaz said they requested at least the cost price, but no payment was made.
"ADEM HAS LONG REACH IN THE MUNICIPALITY"
Seyfi Beyaz also said that Adem Soytekin did the rough construction of West Side. Claiming that Soytekin had a "secret partnership" relationship with Mutlu Construction, Beyaz argued that he and the other companies knew that Soytekin had a "strong relationship" with the then Mayor of Beylikduzu, Ekrem Imamoglu.
According to Beyaz's account, when problems at the municipality arose, project partner Oktay Hamzaoglu told him, "Brother, talk to Adem Soytekin, he has long reach in the municipality, he will handle this." he said.
STATEMENT OF “IMAMOGLU'S DIRECTION” FOR FATIH KELES
In Beyaz's supplementary statement dated May 14, a striking claim regarding Fatih Keles also emerged. Beyaz alleged that the marble works of the West Side project were given to Fatih Keles upon Ekrem Imamoglu's direction and through Adem Soytekin's mediation, and that the work was procured at a price higher than its cost.
Stating that Soytekin was very insistent on this matter, Beyaz said they accepted this situation because Soytekin handled their relations with the municipality.
“ONCE HE BECAME MAYOR, MONEY WAS CONSTANTLY DEMANDED”
Beyaz's statements were not limited to West Side. In his statement dated May 14, Beyaz, saying that only three of the projects he carried out in Beylikduzu coincided with Ekrem Imamoglu's tenure, stated, “After Ekrem Imamoglu became the mayor, I did not want to do business in that region because money was constantly demanded.”
Beyaz also argued that he was disturbed by the “constant demands” due to the construction work he did during Imamoglu's tenure as Beylikduzu Mayor and later as IBB President.
2 LODGE BOXES, 7 SHOPS, AND 300 THOUSAND TL ELECTION OFFICE RENT
In Seyfi Beyaz's other statements to the prosecutor's office, it was alleged that there were other demands within the scope of relations with the municipality.
Beyaz claimed that during the occupancy permit process of a project, two lodge boxes were requested from Trabzonspor, and he personally conveyed this request to Ekrem Imamoglu's brother, Muzaffer Beyaz; that 7 shops in White Corner, Beyaz City, and Mega Kent were used as offices by the municipality during the election period without paying rent; and that 300 thousand TL in cash was given to Tuncay Yilmaz for the rent of the election coordination center in Seyrantepe before the 2019 local elections.
“I ACCEPT THE ACCUSATION IN THIS FORM”
The words Beyaz used at the end of his April 25 statement became one of the most legally striking parts of the file. Stating that he wanted to benefit from the provisions of effective remorse, Beyaz had said, “I accept the accusation in this form. Additionally, I file complaints against the relevant public officials and other individuals for the money forcibly taken from me.”
In his subsequent statements, however, Beyaz argued that he was not the party who gained benefits, but rather the party forced to give money and real estate to carry out the permit and occupancy certificate procedures.