26.08.2025 18:37
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has taken a new step in the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB). Lawyer Mücahit Birinci, who is alleged to have requested 2 million dollars from detained businessman Murat Kapki during a meeting in prison, will be questioned as a "suspect." The prosecutor's office has issued a letter for Birinci to be brought to the police station. Following this decision, Birinci has arrived at the courthouse.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has taken a new step regarding the meetings held in prison between detained businessman Murat Kapki and lawyer Mücahit Birinci as part of the corruption investigation conducted against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB). It was claimed that during that meeting, Mücahit Birinci visited the detained businessman Murat Kapki in prison and said, "Sign this statement record, give 2 million dollars, and leave quietly."
HE HAD RESIGNED FROM THE AK PARTY Following the developments, Birinci announced that he had resigned from the AK Party, stating, "I respectfully inform the public that I have resigned from my party membership, which I am proud of, and from active politics, as I deemed necessary."
HE WILL GIVE A STATEMENT AS A "SUSPECT" As part of the investigation, the claims regarding the process and content of Birinci's meetings were scrutinized. The prosecutor's office wrote a letter to the Istanbul Police Department for Birinci to be taken into custody to give his statement as a "suspect." Birinci, who will give a statement as a suspect, arrived at the courthouse under police supervision.
Murat Kapki - Mücahit Birinci In the statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the matter, the following expressions were included:
"On August 4, 2025, following the publications and shares made in some media outlets and social media platforms, an investigation was initiated by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the detained suspects under investigation numbered 2024/228233, and a request for investigation permission was made due to the suspect being a lawyer. The Ministry of Justice granted the investigation permission, and in this context, a letter was written to the Istanbul Police Department for the suspect Mücahit BİRİNCİ to be present at our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to give his statement as a suspect."
WHAT HAD HAPPENED? CHP Chairman Özgür Özel claimed that Mücahit Birinci visited detained businessman Murat Kapki in prison during the IBB investigation and said, "Sign this statement record, give 2 million dollars, and leave quietly." Özel also shared the document in which Kapki complained about Birinci. Following Özel's statements, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an ex officio investigation regarding the claim.
Kapki, whose statement was taken as part of the investigation, claimed that Birinci had previously expressed a desire to meet with him through someone else and indicated that he could arrange for his release. Stating that he met with Birinci thinking he could be released, Kapki said, "He brought me a 1.5-page computer-written text in 2 copies and told me to read it. The content of these texts included matters written in 4 items in my petition titled 'this is my complaint.' When I read these, I said that 'I cannot slander anyone' and stated that the matters mentioned in the text were not true." Kapki added, "After that, he took the texts he brought with him from me. When he was about to leave, I asked him whether I would be released or not. Lawyer Mücahit Birinci said, 'This is your choice' and left my side."