22.04.2026 21:29
In the corruption case against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, a release order was issued for Ekrem İmamoğlu's official drivers, Osman Zekai Kırat and Recep Cebeci.
In the IBB case, Ekrem İmamoğlu's official drivers Osman Zekai Kırat and Recep Cebeci were released.
OFFICIAL DRIVERS RELEASED In the corruption case against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), a release decision was made regarding Ekrem İmamoğlu's official drivers Osman Zekai Kırat and Recep Cebeci, who were under arrest. In today's session of the ongoing trial in Silivri, it was ruled that the two individuals, who had been detained for a long time, be released.
THE 'AZIZ İHSAN AKTAŞ CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION' CASE ALSO CONTINUED On the other hand, within the scope of the 'Aziz İhsan Aktaş criminal organization' investigation, the trial of 200 defendants, some under arrest and some not, including 7 mayors (5 of whom are under arrest), continued. In the previous hearing, the panel decided to release the defendants Önder Gedik, Mehmet Karataş, Mustafa Yolcu, Adnan Acar, Mehmet Şimşek, Rana Uysal, Sencer Hacıoğlu. The hearing was held in Hall No. 3 opposite the Marmara Closed Penal Execution Institution because the Istanbul 1st High Criminal Court's capacity was insufficient.
"HOW COULD I MEDIATE" Avcılar Deputy Mayor Erhan Daka stated that at the time of the incident subject to the indictment, he had no relationship with the mayor and deputy mayor at the municipality. Noting that he served as a provincial deputy chairman of the CHP at that time, Daka expressed that he carried out election campaigns in the 3rd region for the March 31 local elections. Regarding the claim that Avcılar Municipality received 16 vehicles for election campaigns, Daka said, "I have no knowledge of these vehicles. No vehicle was delivered to me. I was the CHP Provincial Deputy Chairman at that time. I was carrying out campaigns for the March 31 election." Stating that he has been under arrest for 1 year with baseless allegations, Daka said, "There is neither bribery nor mediation. Aziz İhsan Aktaş and Akın Kumanlı, who benefited from active repentance, say there is no bribery. How could I mediate when there is no bribery. I do not understand what the prosecutor bases the bribery allegation on. I have been under arrest for 1 year with a completely empty, baseless allegation. All evidence has been gathered in the file. Considering that there is no evidence to be gathered against me, no person to be heard, I request you to end my 11-month detention."
"I DID NOT RECEIVE 300 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM İHSAN AKTAŞ" Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar, who requested release, said, "I am being tried because of the legitimate trade my father made with İhsan Aktaş. My father is a famous businessman in Adana, he has no business or connection with the municipality. I also have no connection with his business. Aktaş liked and purchased 2 apartments from a project belonging to my father's company. I should not have been under arrest for 12 months because of this. İhsan Aktaş says, 'They sold me the 4 million apartment for 4-5 times its price.' First, I have no connection with this trade. Second, 4 million is the figure shown on the deed. In Turkey, no one shows the full amount they purchased on the deed. Both the prosecution and expert reports show that the bare state of the apartment is 16 million. Moreover, this person has not paid for the apartments. I did not receive 300 thousand dollars or anything from İhsan Aktaş; if I had received it, I would not hide it. My father sold a house, what would I deny. On July 25, his total receivable from the municipality is 1.5 million. Now, did this person forcibly purchase an apartment for 4-5 times its value to get that 1.5 million? The court should not rely on this. I should not have been under arrest for 13 months because of this. Aktaş says, 'They sold me the 4 million apartment for 4-5 times its value.' I have no connection or relation with this trade. Also, the 4 million figure is the amount shown on the deed for the apartment. How many people in Turkey, especially you, Mr. President, show the real value of the vehicle, house, land they purchased on the deed; no one. Moreover, it is established by prosecution and expert reports that even the bare state of the apartment is 16 million. Now, do not rely on my statement or İhsan Aktaş's statement. These are just statements; but there is one truth in the file, both prosecution and expert reports show that the bare state of this apartment is 16 million. So, shouldn't the expert reports be relied upon? Where is selling an apartment for 4-5 times its value? I did not receive the 300 thousand dollars or anything from İhsan Aktaş. If I had received it, I would not hide it. Because my father sold a house, there was trade between them. Why would we deny it? Is selling an apartment not a crime, but asking for its money, receiving its money a crime? If we had received it, we would say we received it. All of Aktaş's statements are lies and slander. In his active repentance statement, which he prepared with his lawyers for 2 months, İhsan Aktaş says nothing about vehicle sales. He remembers the meeting he had with my father Mustafa Aydar on July 25, but for some reason, he does not remember the vehicle and the date of July 31. This person made a trade with my father. He purchased 2 apartments, one vehicle from my father; but somehow, half of this sale becomes 'Bribery', half becomes profitable trade. He calls the apartment sale bribery, the vehicle sale trade with profit. What kind of thing is this? As I said, it is physically impossible to sell in July. At that date, such a vehicle does not exist. Therefore, my father cannot sell a non-existent imaginary vehicle to İhsan Aktaş and give its money in an imaginary way. Does bribery on credit happen?"
"MY LAWYERS SUBMITTED A 500-PAGE REPORT" Detained Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, claiming that the investigation authority based the indictment on the assumption that 'Rıza Akpolat had never done any commercial business until 2019, had no income, earnings, all his income was earned after the mayoralty,' said, "Accusations were directed based on this fundamental assumption. 2 days ago, my lawyers submitted a 500-page report to the court. All the work my family and I have done in the 20 years before 2019 exists. You can find all the documents. I feel ashamed to talk about these here." Rıza Akpolat said, "Allegedly, a bribery pool was established in Beşiktaş and I purchased hotel and reservation tickets from this pool. All these payments are not worth the price of an apartment in the project I did. I feel ashamed to say this. Why do I have to disclose my family's assets? The confessor does not know my father, does not know what he did. We are trying to make sense of why people called 'our child' have been turned into this state, but we say 'There must be a reason.' As a family, we have experienced very difficult things, but because of our belief in justice, we stand strong here. If it is proven that I used a single penny for my personal expenses, I am ready to resign here. If I used a single penny from the alleged bribery pool for my private life, I am ready to resign here. We are being tried to be punished for an action that is being attempted to be forced."
"I NEITHER TOOK A BRIBE NOR WAS A PART OF IT" Detained Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara, claiming that he also made progress payments in full during his term as mayor, said 'While it is established that the crime of "bid rigging" did not occur, "Why am I being tried with the crime of bid rigging?"
Caykara stated that his candidacy was announced 39 days before the local elections and that he did not know which district he would be a candidate for until it was announced, saying, "I took to the field immediately the day after it was announced. I had only one goal: to win the election. I am not the only candidate alone; I have 34 council member friends. I have hundreds of party friends. It coincided with Ramadan, we held iftar and sahur. We distributed brochures. When it was Kandil, we distributed Turkish delight in front of the mosque. I neither have the time nor the duty to control all of my work. I neither took bribes nor was a part of it. We went through an investigation process. There should be no evidence left to gather about me; I have been under arrest for 12 months. I am one of the youngest mayors in Turkey, not exceeding the fingers of one hand. I set out with beautiful dreams. I am a mayor, but I also left a family behind. I served as mayor for 13 months, and I have been under arrest for 12 months. I only ask you for justice and my release."
RELEASE DECISION FOR 5 DEFENDANTS The court panel adjourned the hearing to evaluate the requests. The court decided to release the detained defendants: Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar, Beşiktaş Municipality Cleaning Affairs Manager Çağdaş Ateşçi, Beşiktaş Municipality support services personnel Gülşah Ocak, Beşiktaş Municipality Support Services Manager Ferit Tutşi, and former Beşiktaş Municipality Support Services Manager Gülal Erdovan Anıl. The court panel ruled that the detention of 11 people should continue and postponed the hearing to Monday, April 27.