03.12.2025 20:36
In the case related to the murder of shoe wholesaler Mehmet Akgül in İzmir, the trial of Gültekin Uslu, who is alleged to be the shooter, continued. Speaking at the hearing, Uslu stated, "I encountered the victim by chance at the scene. I still do not remember whether I shot or not."
In Izmir, the trial of the detained defendants Anıl Akgül (44), Rojhat Kızılban (36), and Gültekin Uslu (46), who is alleged to be the hitman, continues regarding the murder of Mehmet Akgül (49), a shoe wholesaler and construction worker, in his van. Uslu, speaking at the hearing, said, "I coincidentally encountered the victim at the scene. I still do not remember whether I shot or not."
On April 10, 2024, in the Postacılar neighborhood of the Bayraklı district in Izmir, Mehmet Akgül, who was engaged in shoe wholesaling and construction, was found motionless at the wheel of his van. It was understood that Akgül, who was married and a father of one child, had been shot in the head with a gun and that the left window of the vehicle was broken. He could not be saved at the private hospital to which he was taken by ambulance.
Mehmet Akgül, who had 10 siblings, 4 of whom were girls, was reported to have had his siblings working in England for 33 years, sending their earnings to him in Turkey. It was stated that Akgül was engaged in shoe production and construction in Turkey with his savings, and allegedly informed his wife that he would divorce her 20 days before the incident upon learning that he had been deceived.
CAMERA RECORDINGS EXAMINED
As part of the investigation launched regarding the incident, the police determined that Mehmet Akgül was killed on the street where his shop and home were located. Teams watching dozens of hours of footage from more than 30 security cameras in the area identified that Akgül entered the neighborhood with his van around 5:00 AM.
From the footage between the time Akgül entered the neighborhood and the time he was at the crime scene, attention was focused on Rojhat Kızılban and Gültekin Uslu, who were in a car that entered the neighborhood, both of whom worked as laborers at Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, and two suspects were detained. Anıl Akgül, who exhibited contradictory behavior, was also taken into custody. While Kızılban and Uslu did not accept the charges at the police station, Anıl Akgül confessed to the murder.
"HIRED A HITMAN FOR 500 THOUSAND LIRA"
Akgül stated in his testimony that his husband Mehmet Akgül did not care for him, that he started a romantic relationship with Rojhat Kızılban during this process, and that the murder was carried out by Gültekin Uslu, whom Kızılban hired as a hitman for 500 thousand TL. It was learned that the agreed amount had not been paid to Uslu. After their procedures at the police station, Rojhat Kızılban and Gültekin Uslu were arrested, while Anıl Akgül was released under judicial control. Following new evaluations by the prosecutor's office, Akgül was taken into custody again the next day and was arrested by the court he was brought to.
APPEARED BEFORE THE JUDGE
The Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office requested aggravated life imprisonment for Anıl Akgül for the crime of 'intentional murder against a spouse', and life imprisonment for Gültekin Uslu and Rojhat Kızılban for the crime of 'intentional murder', as well as up to 3 years in prison for the crime of 'purchasing, carrying, or possessing firearms and ammunition without a license.'
The trial of the defendants continued today at the Izmir 4th High Criminal Court.
"I DO NOT REMEMBER WHETHER I SHOT OR NOT"
In addition to the detained defendants, the lawyers of the parties attended the hearing. Responding to a question from the complainant's lawyer about whether he wrote a letter to the prosecutor while in prison stating that he would change the course of the incident, detained defendant Gültekin Uslu said, "The victim's brother reached me through O.A. in prison. They said, 'Admit that you committed the murder, and blame it on the defendants, we will give you 10 million lira and take care of you in prison.' I coincidentally encountered the victim at the scene. I still do not remember whether I shot or not." The prosecution, which presented its opinion, expressed that the detention of the defendants should continue.
POSTPONED
In response to the prosecution's opinion, detained defendant Rojhat Kızılban said, "The other side keeps talking about plans and programs. There is no such thing." Other detained defendants also requested release. After the defenses, an interim decision was announced. The court, ruling for the continuation of the defendants' detention, decided to address the deficiencies in the file and postponed the hearing to April 8, 2026.