25.02.2025 19:02
In Kocaeli, Tunay A., the defendant who allegedly tied a rope around the neck of Rümeysa Meriç Özcan (18), who rejected his sexual advances, causing her to faint and throwing her into a ravine, stated in his testimony at the court, blaming the deceased girl, "I thought she was joking when the vehicle moved."
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In Kocaeli, the defendant, who allegedly rejected a sexual intercourse proposal from a girl, tied a rope around her neck, knocked her unconscious, and threw her off a cliff with a truck to make it look like an accident, said, "I was only friends with Rümeysa. I saw the vehicle moving while I was relieving myself. I thought Rümeysa was joking and would stop. Shortly after, the vehicle fell off the cliff. The incident is merely an accident caused by the victim; it has nothing to do with me."
Upon receiving a report that a truck had fallen off a cliff on Halıdere Eskiköy Street in Kocaeli, police and medical teams arrived at the scene and found the lifeless body of 18-year-old Rümeysa Meriç Özcan, with a rope tied around her neck, 15 meters away from the truck.
After the examinations at the scene, Özcan's lifeless body was taken to the morgue for an autopsy, while police teams detained men named Tunay A. (23), Eşref K. (21), Yaser A.A., and girls named Ceylan Ç. and Kibar N.K. Among the 5 suspects detained in connection with the incident, Tunay A. was arrested, while Eşref K., Yaser A.A., Ceylan Ç., and Kibar N.K. were released.
CHANGED HIS STATEMENT 3 TIMES
Tunay A. initially stated to the police that the incident was an accident, but after further examination at the scene, he confessed to committing murder when his statement was taken again. When brought before the prosecutor, Tunay A. changed his statement again, claiming the incident was an accident. The indictment also stated that Tunay A. was 0.47 promille intoxicated on the day of the incident. The indictment was prepared for the defendant to face aggravated life imprisonment for intentional murder due to the outrage he felt for being unable to commit both the crime against the woman and sexual assault, and for being punished for "depriving a person of their freedom by using force, threat, or deception" for a term of 2 to 7 years.
"I MET WITH RÜMEYSA'S MOTHER"
The second hearing of the case against Tunay A. for "depriving a person of their freedom by using force, threat, or deception," "murder due to outrage stemming from being unable to commit another crime," and "intentional murder against a woman" continued at the Kocaeli 1st Heavy Penal Court.
In the courtroom, detained defendant Tunay A., his lawyers, the victim's mother Kevser Erden, and her lawyer attended. The defendant, who did not speak during the first hearing, stated in this session, "I gave 2 statements to the police regarding the incident. One was voluntary. I accept the statement I gave voluntarily. I do not accept the statement taken with a CMK lawyer. I said I committed the crime due to the police beating me, but that is not true. On the day of the incident, I met with Rümeysa, we drank alcohol. Then we went to Yuvacık Dam and then to Ereğli Beach. There, we met Rümeysa's mother. After that, we went to an entertainment venue with Rümeysa's friends. However, they did not let us into the venue, and Rümeysa caused a disturbance for that reason. Yaser and Eşref came, we went to another venue, but we were not allowed in there either," he said.
"I THOUGHT RÜMEYSA WAS JOKING"
Stating that they separated from the other friends, detained defendant Tunay A. said, "We drank the beers we had left with Rümeysa on the beach. Rümeysa said it was a beautiful view. We went there based on her description. Our only aim was to sit and have fun. We were just friends. I went to the back of the vehicle to relieve myself, and at that moment, the vehicle was running. I saw the vehicle moving. I thought Rümeysa was joking and would stop ahead. Shortly after, the vehicle fell off the cliff. We did not have any argument before the incident. The rope inside the truck was for cargo. However, I neither saw nor know anything about that rope. I did not even get down to the scene; I don't know," he said.
"THE INCIDENT IS MERELY AN ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THE VICTIM"
Stating that he did not know how Rümeysa fell from the vehicle, Tunay A. said, "We did not have any sexual intimacy with Rümeysa. We went to that area at her suggestion. She said it had a beautiful view. We took our camping chairs and sat down. The incident is merely an accident caused by the victim; it has nothing to do with me. I ran after the vehicle when it moved, but I couldn't catch up. I took the police to the scene. I do not accept my statement at the police station, 'I wrapped the rope around her neck and shook her,' I gave such a statement due to the police beating and coercion. I had known Rümeysa for 3 months; we have been close for 1 month. We have met about 10 times in a month. I do not use drugs; I do not know if Rümeysa used them," he stated.
TRIAL POSTPONED
Kibar N.K., who was heard as a witness regarding the incident, stated that on the date of the incident, the defendant and the victim met, and he did not witness any fight between them and did not see the incident. The defendant's lawyer stated that the statement taken at the police station was unlawful. The court panel rejected the lawyers' request for an inspection, decided to continue the defendant's detention, and postponed the trial.
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