07.08.2026 14:21
In the corruption investigation against Izmit Municipality, Emre Can Ozkan, whose statement was revealed, said that the Licensing and Inspection Director Figan Cetin demanded 30,000 TL in bribes from him for a license and that he left the money in an envelope. Ozkan also claimed that Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hurriyet called him in a panic before the operation and asked him to hand over the camera footage.
The statement of Emre Can Özkan, who is alleged to have left money in an envelope for Figan Çetin, the Licensing and Inspection Director of İzmit Municipality, has emerged within the scope of the corruption investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against İzmit Municipality.
THE MAYOR ALLEGEDLY KNEW ABOUT THE BRIBE
In his statement, Özkan said, "Figan Çetin told me that I had to give money to the municipality, otherwise I would not be able to get my license. I asked what the money was for, and she said we are asking for it for the municipality, and we do not give a receipt in return. Before the operation against İzmit Municipality, this incident was heard among themselves, so Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet tried to contact me more than 5 times. I did not answer some of the missed calls. In some of the phone conversations I answered, Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet was speaking to me in a panic. She said that she had obtained the camera footage from the police and that I should bring it to her without showing the videos to anyone."
THE PERSON WHO RECORDED THE BRIBE FOOTAGE GAVE A STATEMENT
The statement of Emre Can Özkan, who is alleged to have left money in an envelope for Figan Çetin, the Licensing and Inspection Director of İzmit Municipality, has emerged within the scope of the corruption investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against İzmit Municipality.
"HE SAID HE WOULD NOT GIVE A LICENSE IF I DID NOT PAY"
In his statement, Özkan said, "When I was detained, I voluntarily gave my phone password. When the video on my phone is examined, it will be revealed that I was the victim of the incident in question. I want to tell what I experienced. I took the video in question on May 22, 2026. My aim was to reveal the unjust situation. The license of Özkar Internet Cafe was under my grandfather's name. Since my grandfather is old, I attempted to transfer the license to my brother, Ali Rıza Özkar. When I went to the municipality, they gave me a list of documents. I prepared the documents and went back to the municipality and submitted them. My documents were complete. Figan Çetin, the licensing director who received my documents, told me to come back in a few days, and I told him that my documents were complete. After two days, I went to İzmit Municipality again. Figan Çetin told me that I needed to give money to the municipality, otherwise I would not be able to get my license. I asked what this money was for, and he said we are asking for it for the municipality, we do not give a receipt in return. He said that since it was an internet cafe, I had to pay 30 thousand TL, and also said that if I went to a person named Sibel, the amounts would be higher."
"THE MAYOR REQUESTED THE FOOTAGE FROM ME"
In the continuation of his statement, Özkan said, "Two days after this incident, I prepared the 30 thousand TL and went to İzmit Municipality. Because I was in a difficult situation and feared that my work would not be done, I left the money in an envelope in the cabinet. The money was clearly visible. I took this video because I was afraid of the mayor and wanted to secure myself. Since this incident was heard among themselves before the İzmit Municipality operation, Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet tried to contact me more than 5 times. I did not answer some of the missed calls. In some of the phone conversations I answered, Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet was speaking to me in a panic. She said that she had obtained the camera footage from the police and that I should bring it to her without showing the videos to anyone. If I am not mistaken, I recorded part of this phone conversation on my phone to protect myself.
HE THREATENED TO SUSPEND THE LICENSE
This will be revealed when my phone is examined. Each time, I refused to meet with her by making up a different excuse. However, she threatened to suspend the license of my internet cafe. In fact, on the phone she said things like, 'I will suspend the licenses of the 4 shops across from the central faculty, I will start with yours.' I still did not take the video to her. Later, a person named Şaban, who introduced himself as an inspector, came to my internet cafe, and again I did not give the video. I was victimized by this incident. I file a complaint against the said individuals. I request to be released."