10.01.2026 16:57
The additional statement of Şile Mayor Özgür Kabadayı, who was arrested as part of the investigation into Şile Municipality, has emerged. Kabadayı stated in his testimony that Ekrem İmamoğlu, who he claimed managed all processes in the municipality, called him to his office in Haliç, saying, "He provided guidance on the names to be admitted to the municipality through his advisor Tonguç Çoban."
The additional statement given by Şile Mayor Özgür Kabadayı, who was arrested on December 26 as part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the crimes of 'establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime', 'bribery', and 'interfering with a tender', emerged on January 7, 2026.
"IMAMOGLU SAID 'YOU WIN, WE WILL HANDLE IT IN SOME WAY'" Kabadayı stated in his additional testimony at the prosecutor's office, "I couldn't express myself freely before. That's why I wanted to give a statement again by submitting a petition through my lawyer. On January 1 or 2, 2024, a meeting was held at a hotel in Beşiktaş with İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu, CHP executive Özgür Karabat, and CHP Provincial Chairman Özgür Çelik. Here, I was informed that my candidacy was confirmed. I attended this meeting with our District Chairman Aras. I even told Ekrem İmamoğlu that I don't understand anything about municipal affairs, and even if we win, how will we manage it? He told me, 'You win, we will handle it in some way.' During my candidacy process, I was informed that Oğuz Kaçmaz, who worked in the Muhtarlık Department at İBB, was assigned to assist me in the election campaign. I accepted and took him on board for the election campaign.
"ONCE IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE WOULD WIN, MARKET CARDS STARTED TO POUR IN THROUGH İBB CHANNEL" While the election campaign was ongoing, no one, including myself, expected that we would win. Therefore, no financial support was sent from the party or İBB. However, in the last 10 days, as it started to become apparent that we would win, market cards purchased from supermarkets began to pour in through İBB via District Chairman Aras. I know that these cards were sent to the district organization by İBB. If money was sent, I have no knowledge of it; I spent my own money on the election campaign until the last 10 days," he said.
"IMAMOGLU TOLD ME TO REMOVE THOSE WHO WERE DOING ILLEGAL WORK" Kabadayı continued his statement by saying: "There has always been an urban planning problem in Şile. This problem continued after I became mayor. During this process, Yasin Çakır, who was the Deputy Mayor responsible for Urban Planning and Housing from the previous administration, was removed from this position due to the problems he experienced within the municipality. I appointed Ali Sinan Özer in his place. I also assigned Vural Durmuş as an advisor to the deputy mayor in urban planning. However, when the Gönen Hotel incident exploded in the İBB Council, I removed everyone from their positions. After I was elected mayor, the owner of Gönen Hotel came to my office. I met him there. He said that his hotel was sealed by the previous administration and that he wanted to resolve the issue. I directed him to the urban planning unit and told him that he needed to discuss and resolve the matter with them. It later emerged that a license was obtained illegally. I removed those who carried out this process from their positions. I also canceled the license process. Since the Gönen Hotel incident was brought up in the İBB Council, Ekrem İmamoğlu called me to his office in Haliç. He asked about the issue. I explained to him that it was an illegal licensing process. He then told me to go to Tonguç Çoban, that Tonguç would provide some names, that I should bring them to the municipality, and that I should also remove those who carried out this illegal licensing process from their positions.
"THERE WERE RUMORS ABOUT URBAN PLANNING IN ŞILE, AND THEY INCREASED WITH THE NEW TEAM" I met with Tonguç Çoban. He told me over the phone to come to AKOM. When I arrived at AKOM, I learned that Tuncay Tolga Özçakmak was appointed as the deputy mayor, and that Tuncay would form the lower team, and that Tuncay was in the process of being a candidate for mayor in Beykoz, that he was a party member, and that they knew these names and were knowledgeable about the work. Since I was looking for someone authorized and knowledgeable for this position, I accepted. He facilitated my contact with Tuncay. We met with Tuncay Tolga Özçakmak. He said he would do very good projects. I started the work by assigning these individuals to the municipality. After Tuncay and his team started working, they asked me for a 3-month allowance. They said they would solve all the problems. There were already rumors about urban planning in Şile. While I thought that things would get better with the new team, the rumors increased significantly. When I called the relevant parties in the municipality and asked, they told me that there was no problem, that what was being discussed was just gossip, and that they had resolved the process legally. No one came to me and clearly explained any issue related to bribery. Before I was taken into custody, I was going to remove this team due to the significant increase in rumors and the failure to carry out the instructions I had given, but I was taken into custody.
"ALI ŞAFAK TOLD ME 'I WAS CAUGHT WITH MONEY'" On the day I was taken into custody, there was a rally of Özgür Özel in Sancaktepe. While I was on my way to the rally, Tuncay sent me a message saying that Ali Şafak had been taken into custody in Ömerli. I asked him what it was for. He said it might be due to legal matters. After the rally, I returned to my residence. Around 1:00 AM, Özgür Çelik called me. He said that Tuncay Tolga, Aslı Kotan, Evren Buçan, and Oğuz Kaçmaz had been taken into custody and that I would probably be taken into custody as well. The next day, there was a meeting of mayors at the headquarters, and I was going to Ankara. I told Özgür Çelik, 'Why would they take me into custody?' and hung up the phone, but I was taken into custody. When we were taken to Vatan Security, I asked Ali Şafak, 'What were you doing in Ömerli, how and why were you taken into custody?' He said, 'President, I was caught with documents.' When I asked what documents, he said, 'I was caught with money.' I yelled at him, 'You messed up.' I expressed my frustration by saying, 'What do I have to do with you, why did you get involved in such a thing?' While I was at the police station, Oğuz told me, 'Mr. President, I have something left on my phone, there was a list of rumors about us related to Şile that I had written, that list was left on my phone.' I said, 'If you wrote down the rumors, then there is no problem.'
"I AM BEING SLANDERED" I had no financial transactions with Hamit Kanmaz, the owner of Şile Beton. When I heard that Hamit Kanmaz had given money to the municipality, I asked, and they said he had a debt to the municipality. After the International Şile Fabric Culture and Art Festival was held, I learned that Oğuz had requested 5 phones from Berkant Acil, the owner of the company that held the concert.
Mutlu Ulusoy called me and said, 'Neither the concert money has been deposited nor the company is requesting a phone.' Upon this, I summoned Berkant Acil to my office. He came with his accountant and two dealers. Berkant Acil told me that 'Oğuz requested 5 phones from them and the payments have not been made.' I then asked him how Oğuz wanted this phone. He replied, 'We thought you were aware of it.' I told him that I was not aware and that we would make the payments according to the municipality's financial situation. When I asked Oğuz about this matter, he said he definitely did not receive a phone. I heard that 5 expensive phones, probably iPhones, were purchased by Berkant Acil and given to Oğuz. I did not take money from anyone, nor did I give money to anyone. Oğuz is slandering me.