24.07.2026 17:40
In the 'corruption' investigation against Izmit Municipality, the statement of Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet's official driver before the prosecutor's office has emerged. The suspect Hüseyin Ergül said, 'During the time I was the mayor's driver, I entered the room to pick up the bags and packages of Private Secretary Ömürhan Yılmaz. Inside the bag, there was another medium-sized packaged item. When I touched it with my hand, I felt it was money. I left the bag in the car and took the mayor home; the mayor took the bag.'
An investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the İzmit Municipality on charges of 'forming an organization for the purpose of committing a crime', 'bribery', and 'rigging a tender' continues. Within the scope of the investigation, a detention decision was made for 31 suspects, including İzmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet and her husband Murat Hürriyet. In simultaneous operations in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Kırıkkale, and İzmit, 30 of the suspects were caught.
"MURAT HÜRRİYET IS THE SHADOW PRESIDENT OF İZMİT MUNICIPALITY" While the investigation into the municipality continues, the statement given to the prosecutor's office by Hüseyin Ergül, the official driver of İzmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet, who was detained and referred to the courthouse, has emerged.
In his statement, suspect Ergül stated that he was Mayor Hürriyet's driver from 2014 to 2023 and said the following: "Murat Hürriyet is my cousin. Murat Hürriyet is the shadow president of İzmit Municipality; personnel in critical positions were placed by him. A person named Fatih Gökbudak was placed next to the president. He is sort of the president's assistant. A person named Burak Güreşen is a relative of Murat Hürriyet and is the director of Technical Affairs. A person named Hakan Oral is a relative of Murat Hürriyet. Zekiye Köstekli Oral is Hakan Oral's wife. This person won a tender for gifts like powerbanks and new year agendas for the municipality in 2020-2021 via direct procurement. Behind this matter is Murat Hürriyet. The purchasing director at the time, Mehmet Şevket Verit, said these were very expensive and shouldn't be done, but later this person got the tender. If I'm not mistaken, the municipality's billboards were also managed by Zekiye Köstekli Oral. I know that the Kocaelispor-printed pillows given as gifts to couples marrying at İzmit Municipality were also provided to the municipality by this person."
"THE PRESIDENT TOOK THE BAG" Continuing his statement, suspect Hüseyin Ergül touched on the connections of Mayor Hürriyet's advisor Çetin Sarıca with Ordu deputy Seyit Torun and said: "For problems related to zoning and housing permits we heard about in İzmit, citizens could go to this person and sort of handle their affairs. Yaşar Kardaş is the Vice President and has connections with Çetin Sarıca. In 2023, Çetin Sarıca directly bought a house. I had heard that these people were trying to buy land in the Aydın area.
Building Control Director Mr. Ethem had recently resigned. Mr. Ethem was someone who did his job properly. During the time I was the president's official driver, I once entered the room of Private Secretary Ömürhan Yılmaz to take his bags and a bag. Inside the bag, there was a packaged medium-sized package. When I touched it in my hand, I felt it was money. I left the bag in the car and took the president home; the president took the bag. While going to pick it up with Ömürhan Yılmaz, he said to me, 'Bro, the money counting might not be finished yet,' and we laughed together. A person named Uğur Saral is a close friend of Çetin Sarıca. This person manages Çetin Sarıca's relations with factories. Gökhan Ercan is the İzmit district head of CHP. He acts together with İlker Ulusoy. Gökhan Ercan is a geophysical engineer.
İlker Ulusoy is a council member and an architect. These people are active in the municipality's zoning and housing permits. A person named Seyhan Özcan works in financial affairs and is close to Murat Hürriyet. A person named Ömer Akın is the general manager of the municipality's subsidiaries Bekaş and Sarbaş. He has a close relationship with Murat Hürriyet. They constantly meet and talk outside. Previously, there was Nihat Değer, but he left due to the events he witnessed. A person named Vedat Küçük is the head of the General Labor Union affiliated with DİSK. He is a relative of Murat Hürriyet. He frequently stays in Seyhan Özcan's room. A person named Turgut Koç is one of the people who frequently visit the president. His name was mentioned in the road construction tender on Fethiye Street. Also, I heard that this person was an intermediary in the vehicle rental tender. I personally called Engin Ertaç and we talked about the vehicle."
RELEASED Meanwhile, Ergül, whose statement process at the prosecutor's office was completed, was released by the court he was brought before with a 'judicial control measure'.