28.04.2025 19:20
The statement given by Şafak Başa, the General Manager of İSKİ, who was detained in the corruption investigation against the İBB, has been obtained. Two individuals listed as complainants in the case claimed that they were not given a positive opinion regarding their projects because they did not bribe Başa. Başa, on the other hand, stated that one of the complainants threatened him because he did not fulfill an unlawful request.
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In the ongoing corruption investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding suspects, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from his position as the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) after his arrest, charges include "being a leader of a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "bribery," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with a tender."
THE STATEMENT OF THE DETAINED GENERAL MANAGER OF İSKİ HAS EMERGED It has been reached that Şafak Başa, the General Manager of İSKİ, one of the 52 suspects detained within the scope of the investigation, provided a 20-page statement to the police of the Financial Crimes Investigation Unit.
Şafak Başa, General Manager of İSKİ "I MET İMAMOĞLU IN 2019, I DO NOT KNOW ANY COMPANY" In his statement, Başa was asked to describe his acquaintances with the suspects in the investigation, and he stated, "I have no commercial relationship with any of the individuals. I know Ekrem İmamoğlu because he is the Mayor of IMM and also the Chairman of the İSKİ Board of Directors. I met him in 2019 when I was appointed to İSKİ for work purposes. I had no personal acquaintance before that." Başa also expressed that he met many other suspects in 2019. When asked whether he had any commercial relationship with the 33 companies and their owners examined in the investigation, Başa replied, "I have no commercial relationship with the companies and their owners read to me. I do not know any company and do not know their owners."
"THEY THREATENED AND HARASSED İSKİ OFFICIALS" Başa's statement was read, which was taken as a complainant by the prosecutor, Muhittin E. In Muhittin E's statement, it was noted: "I present to your esteemed prosecutor's office the information, documents, lease contracts, and photographs related to the official correspondence regarding the subject I mentioned in my statement on March 28, 2025. In a conversation I had with (İSKİ Deputy General Manager) Begüm Çelikdelen, she personally told me that Ekrem İmamoğlu instructed her, 'You will definitely not give this document to T**** M***.' I am a complainant against Ekrem İmamoğlu, Fatih Keleş (suspect), Adem Şanlısoy (suspect), Begüm Çelikdelen (suspect), and former general manager Şafak Başa, who asked me for a bribe."
Başa, who claimed that Muhittin E's allegations were unfounded and that he did not know him, stated: "İSKİ is an organization that provides opinions regarding water basins by law. This is done through our Environmental Protection Control Department. Our planning department, which is affiliated with this department, evaluates the incoming request. It asks the relevant units. It is sent to the relevant public institution with the signature of the deputy general manager (currently Ms. Begüm). During the alleged incident, while the administrative process was ongoing, my colleagues stated that there was no possibility of obtaining a positive opinion regarding this place by law. The person who claims to be a representative or partner of this company threatened İSKİ officials and sent messages that amounted to verbal harassment on WhatsApp. I know that the person I know as İdris Ö. wanted to obtain information by pressuring İSKİ employees through threats."
"THE LEGAL AFFAIRS UNIT ALSO GAVE A NEGATIVE RESPONSE" Başa stated that they evaluated the file again with his colleagues but conveyed that the relevant place did not have a license and that an evaluation would be made if it was obtained, and continued: "Later, I gathered my colleagues and told them to review the file again to avoid making a wrong decision. They stated that they had corresponded with MAPEG, that it also gave a negative opinion, that they did not have licenses, and therefore did not have the right to a license, and for this reason, a positive opinion could not be given to this company. We, as İSKİ, did not give a positive opinion by corresponding with the relevant units due to the water basin legislation. We repeated our negative opinion several times. On a holiday, during a wreath-laying ceremony in Fatih, a person named İdris came to me and wanted to talk to me. I invited him to İSKİ to listen. I said, 'Gather all your documents; if our units made a mistake, we will ask the legal affairs department for their opinions and correct it.' I carefully reviewed all the documents he provided and sent them to the legal affairs unit. They also responded negatively on May 13, 2024."
COMPLAINANT İDRİS Ö: HE DID NOT GIVE THE OPINION HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE ACCORDING TO İSKİ LEGISLATION BY INVENTING VARIOUS EXCUSES The statement of İdris Ö, who was taken as a complainant by the prosecutor, was read. In İdris Ö's statement, it was noted: "In January 2023, for the rehabilitation project application belonging to T*** M**** located in Kurnaköy Neighborhood, Pendik District, Istanbul, I took 50% of the shares by making a contract with the condition that all expenses would be covered, for the follow-up and completion of the documents. Due to this being state land, we obtained approval from all relevant authorities, including the General Directorate of National Property, MAPEG, the Presidency, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and the IMM Environmental Protection Department, for the implementation of the project I prepared during this process. We started our work as of January 2023. The Istanbul Governorate Investment Monitoring Coordination stated that IMM also had a request for the same land and that a positive opinion was given, and therefore it was necessary to ask whether IMM had any disposition here. A letter was written to IMM regarding this matter. IMM responded that they had no disposition. Due to subsequent procedures, since a license needed to be obtained from the IMM Environmental Protection Department, I completed all my documents and applied to IMM."
İdris Ö continued in his statement that opinions were requested from Pendik Municipality, the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture, and the İSKİ Water Basins Protection Department for the approval of the licenses at IMM, and that positive opinions were received from all places except for the Water Basins.
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However, since there has been no response from the Water Basins Protection Department for three months, İdris Ö stated that he went to meet with the relevant Department Head Adem Şanlısoy, saying, "He kept stalling me every time. He did not provide the opinion he was supposed to give according to İSKİ regulations, making various excuses."
"I HAVE BEEN A VICTIM FOR 2 YEARS BECAUSE I DID NOT BRIBE" The complainant İdris Ö expressed the following in his statement: "He (Adem Şanlısoy) told me, 'The Presidency and the Ministry of Environment have committed illegal acts.' He even asked me once, 'Do you know Fatih Keleş?' As a result of being kept waiting, I also made an appointment with İSKİ General Manager Şafak Başa. General Manager Şafak told me, 'Go to Fatih Keleş, give him whatever you have, he is the only one who can solve your issue.' He said, 'If Fatih Keleş gives us instructions, we can prepare your document in 10 minutes.' I was shocked by this offer from Şafak Başa because I have never bribed anyone in my life, nor have I received a bribe. Since I know Ekrem İmamoğlu from Trabzon and we have a certain familiarity, I met with both of them in the lobby of the Ramada Hotel during last year's Ramadan holiday and the rally last week when he came to Trabzon. When I explained the situation during our meeting last year, he told me, 'You cursed and punched the general manager.' He said that Fatih Keleş informed him in this way. I told him that such an incident had occurred. When I explained to him the injustices happening at İSKİ one by one, he said he would investigate this matter. Even though I tried to involve Ali Nuhoğlu (the suspect), the problem could not be solved. It turns out that Ekrem İmamoğlu, Ali Nuhoğlu, Fatih Keleş, Tuncay Yılmaz (the suspect), and Murat Ongun (the suspect) were already acting together and collecting bribes from people through this structure, and I have been a victim for 2 years because I did not bribe."
BAŞA: I HAVE NEVER MADE AN UNLAWFUL DECISION OR GIVEN AN OPINION Başa, arguing that the allegations are slander, stated, "I will use all my legal rights and file a criminal complaint regarding this. As the General Manager of İSKİ, my most important duty derived from the law is to protect water basins. I have been fighting against negative things related to illegal construction in water basins since I took office. I may be the general manager who has fought the most against illegal construction in İSKİ's history. That is why I encounter such incidents related to these processes, but I have never made an unlawful decision or given an opinion."
"I SENT THE MONEY HE SPENT" When asked about the reason for the money transfers with the detained suspect, former General Manager of Media A. Ş. İpek Elif Atayman, Başa said, "I was a candidate for the mayor of Tekirdağ between November 5 and December 5, 2018. I think I sent the money he spent because he facilitated the interview during that period."
When asked whether he knows Murat İ., what he does, and what kind of commercial activities they have, Başa stated, "I do not know a person named Murat İ. I do not know what this person does. There is no commercial activity between us."
Former General Manager of Media A. Ş. İpek Elif Atayman "I HAVE NOT SIGNED ANY TRANSACTION I DO NOT BELIEVE IN" When asked if there is anything else he would like to add to his statement, Başa expressed that he has served in various positions since the age of 25 and said, "İSKİ's operations are audited by Court of Accounts auditors and internal affairs inspectors. For the past 6 years, there have been no serious allegations against me. Most recently, a few months ago, my entire term was audited by two chief inspectors, and the report was submitted to the Ministry without any issues. In fact, the inspectors, since I am also a former inspector, gathered all the staff and left the institution, thanking them even if it was not procedurally. In the last part of the report, they referred to the works as exemplary for Turkey. As a public official coming from inspection and audit, I am in a very good position to know what is a crime and what is not. During my time at İSKİ, I have not signed any transactions that are unlawful and that I do not believe in or find correct."