Famous lawyer accused of bribery involving Dubai chocolate to court president

A famous lawyer was arrested on charges of "bribery" after 2,500 dollars was found inside a bag of Dubai chocolate he had gifted to his former student, who is currently serving as the President of the Kocaeli 6th High Criminal Court, during a visit to the Kocaeli Courthouse. The lawyer, who does not accept the accusations, stated that he holds the title of professor and has taught at various universities for many years, saying, "I actively appear on many TV channels. The reason I mention these is to explain that I would not stoop to such things."

According to the information obtained, last November, Attorney Prof. Dr. Seyithan D. (55) visited Alper Utku (34), who was his student at the faculty of law and is now serving as the President of the Kocaeli 6th High Criminal Court. It is alleged that during the conversation, Seyithan D. requested the lifting of an international travel ban for R.Y., who is being tried for membership in the FETÖ terrorist organization at the Kocaeli 6th High Criminal Court. Utku stated that the file in question was at the Court of Cassation and that this request would be evaluated after the Court of Cassation's decision. Upon this, Seyithan D. left the room, saying he would also file a request for the lifting of the international travel ban.

IT CONTAINED FOREIGN CURRENCY BANKNOTES

It is alleged that attorney Seyithan D. returned to Alper Utku's office on November 25 and left the chocolate bag he was holding as a gift. After Seyithan D. left the room, Judge Alper Utku checked the bag and saw that it contained chocolate and foreign currency banknotes inside an envelope. Utku immediately left the room, returned the bag to Seyithan D., who was at the clerk's office at the time, and filed a criminal complaint alleging "bribery."

Attorney Seyithan D., who was taken into custody and did not accept the accusations, was arrested after his statement and sent to prison. It was learned that there were 2,500 dollars inside the bag. The indictment prepared against Seyithan D. for "giving a bribe" was accepted by the Kocaeli 3rd High Criminal Court. The indictment requested that Seyithan D. be tried with a prison sentence of 2 to 6 years. Additionally, the indictment included the statements of the 6th High Criminal Court President Alper Utku, the defendant Seyithan D., and the witness.

HE CAME BECAUSE HE LEARNED I WAS HIS STUDENT AND WAS APPOINTED HERE

In his statement included in the indictment, Alper Utku said that about 10 days before the incident, Seyithan D. came to his office and he welcomed him with courtesy. Utku said, "He said he came to visit me because he learned that I was his student and that I had been appointed here. During the conversation, he said that another lawyer had requested the lifting of an international travel ban in a pending case in our court. I said that I remembered the file, that the file was at the Court of Cassation, and that the request to lift judicial control would be evaluated after the Court of Cassation. He stated that he would file a request again. I said that this was possible and that we could evaluate it when the response from the Court of Cassation arrived. Afterwards, he left my room."

HE SAID THERE WAS DUBAI CHOCOLATE IN THE BAG

Stating that Seyithan D. came to his room again on November 25 and was holding an orange cardboard bag, Alper Utku continued his words as follows:

"While entering the room, he said that there was Dubai chocolate in the bag he was holding. I took it out of courtesy and left it on the corner of my desk. He stayed in my room for about 10 minutes. During this time, he stated that he had sent the previous request for the lifting of the international travel ban via UYAP. I told him that the file was still at the Court of Cassation and that the response to the petition submitted by the other lawyer had not yet returned, and that we would send this request to the Court of Cassation again and evaluate it when the response letter arrived. Afterwards, he stated that he appeared on television and had served as an expert witness. He also asked if there were other judges and prosecutors who graduated from Marmara University at the Kocaeli Courthouse. I said I did not know. Afterwards, he left my room, saying he would go to the clerk's office and tell them to print out the documents he had sent via UYAP."

Judge Alper Utku stated that he was curious and checked the bag after Seyithan D. left the room, saying, "I saw that there was chocolate and multiple foreign currency banknotes inside a slightly open white envelope in the bag. In the shock of the event, I took the bag and left my room, and went towards the clerk's office with the bag in my hand. At that time, Seyithan D. was also at the clerk's office. I handed him the bag in my hand and said, 'This bag is yours.' He took the bag and did not object at all. Later, I recorded the event in a report and filed a criminal complaint," he said.

I AM A COMPLAINANT BECAUSE HE GAVE A BRIBE

Stating that Seyithan D. came to his room again on December 4, Utku said, "Seyithan D. knocked on my office door and tried to enter. He stated that he came to apologize for the incident that happened last time. While he was trying to close the door, I turned to the door and told him to go out. I asked him with what face he came. Afterwards, I quickly went towards the clerk's office. He moved away from the corridor at that time, and we recorded this event in a report as well. I am a complainant against Seyithan D. because he gave me a bribe and attempted to influence a judicial officer," he stated.

I REMEMBERED HE WAS MY STUDENT WHEN I SAW HIS NAME ON THE OFFICE DOOR

Defendant Seyithan D., whose defense was included in the indictment, explained that he went to the Kocaeli 6th High Criminal Court clerk's office on November 21 to learn the status of the petition submitted to the file with the authorization of attorney İ.T., saying, "I learned that my file request had been sent to the Court of Cassation. Since I had come to the courthouse, when I saw the president's name on the office door, I remembered that he was our student at Marmara Faculty of Law and Yalova Institute of Social Sciences. I knocked on his door and went inside. He already recognized me and invited me in. He offered tea and chocolate. We chatted for a while. I told him that I was working as an expert witness. I said that we had submitted a request to the file but that our request had been sent to the Court of Cassation. We had such a conversation between us. I left the Kocaeli Courthouse that day."

MY SON CONSTANTLY BUYS THIS CHOCOLATE BECAUSE HE LIKES DUBAI CHOCOLATE

Seyithan D. continued his defense as follows: "On November 25, I came to Kocaeli with my son, Attorney O.S.D., to visit a company for which we had previously performed bankruptcy postponement. Because we arrived early, we also came to the Kocaeli Courthouse to inform them that I was an expert witness and a concordat commissioner for the courts. At that time, since my son was going to leave the car in the parking lot, he handed me the bag, which I knew contained chocolate. My son constantly buys this chocolate because he likes Dubai chocolate. I took the bag and got out of the car, while my son moved with the vehicle to look for a parking space. When I entered the Kocaeli Courthouse, I realized that the commercial court was not there. I stopped by the clerk's offices of the 4th and 5th high criminal courts and said that I was an expert witness on fraudulent bankruptcy."

Stating that after providing the expert witness information at the clerk's office, he went to the office of Kocaeli 6th High Criminal Court President Alper Utku to visit him, the defendant D. said, "I thought I would leave the chocolate I had with me for the president. I went inside and left the chocolate. We had a normal chat in his office. We did not talk about work. I said that I could do it if there was a need for an expert witness on fraudulent bankruptcy. Afterwards, I went to the clerk's office of the 6th High Criminal Court by going to his side. While I was telling the file number at the clerk's office, the president came to the clerk's office and gave me the bag. He did not say anything. I thought that the president had brought it, thinking that I had forgotten the chocolate in his room. I took the bag and left the clerk's office," he said.

Stating that he got into his son O.S.D.'s car after leaving the courthouse, attorney Seyithan D. said, "When I got into the car, I looked inside the bag and saw that there was a white envelope. When I asked my son what this was, he said to me, 'It is my money, I had taken it to register my phone from abroad. I was going to exchange the foreign currency today, I put it in the bag and gave it to you because we were going to leave the car in the parking lot.' I said at that moment, 'Oh no. So that's why the president returned the bag.' I said, 'I didn't understand why he returned the chocolate.' My son said to me, 'Dad, how would I know, I gave you the chocolate. I didn't think you would give it to others. Let's go and explain.' I was very embarrassed. I said, 'I cannot explain at this stage, I will explain later if necessary.' I could not come to Kocaeli before December 4 due to my work intensity. However, I was able to come later when I found the opportunity. I wanted to go to the president and explain the situation. However, while I was starting my words, the president quickly left his room and went towards the clerk's office. I also left the courthouse," he stated.

I FELL INTO THIS SITUATION FOR 2,500 DOLLARS

Noting that he was very sad because of this incident, Seyithan D. said: "I would not believe that such a situation could happen to me. I learned that there was money in the bag after I left the courthouse and got into the car, as a result of my son telling me. I fell into this situation for 2,500 dollars, which was in the envelope in the bag and the amount of which I learned from my son. I don't even know how to explain it. I apologize for causing a misunderstanding. The situation happened as I described. I hold the title of professor. I am actively practicing law. I am not someone who would stoop to such things. I served as the founding dean for 2 terms at Yalova Faculty of Law. I taught at various universities for many years and held tenured professorships. I actively appear on many TV channels. The reason I mention these is to explain that I would not stoop to such things. I know that the result that such actions will bring me will directly affect my professional life and career. This is all I have to say, I am innocent. I want a decision of non-prosecution to be given."

I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CHOCOLATE BEING OFFERED

The suspect's son, who is also a lawyer, witness O.S.D., said, "I bought Dubai chocolate on the date of the incident. I had also taken 2,500 dollars in cash from home. After buying the chocolate, we picked up my father from the site and came to the Kocaeli Courthouse together. We couldn't find a parking space. I said to my father, 'I'll park the car, I'll come to you.' Since I didn't want to leave the chocolate and the envelope containing foreign currency in the car, I gave the bag to my father. I said, 'You keep this bag, I'll take it from you.' I didn't know my father would offer the chocolate. My father entered the courthouse. I drove around the courthouse to find a parking space for the car. After a while, my father called me and said, 'I'm done, come and pick me up.' I came in front of the courthouse and my father got into the car. I remember my father complaining to me when he got into the car, saying, 'Was there money in this?' I also observed that his mood was bad. My father didn't know there was money in the bag. He was unaware that even the envelope was in the bag. I put the envelope in the bag inadvertently. I never thought about the possibility of the chocolate being offered. I was going to eat the chocolate myself," he said.

News Source: 12punto