Operation at Manavgat Municipality: 36 detention warrants issued

Legal proceedings have been initiated against a large number of individuals as part of an investigation into the former municipal administration in Manavgat.

In the Manavgat district of Antalya, an operation was conducted as part of an investigation into the term of the imprisoned former mayor, Şükrü Sözen, regarding charges of 'establishing a criminal organization,' 'embezzlement, extortion, bribery, and bid-rigging within the scope of organizational activities,' and 'laundering assets derived from crime.'

Within the scope of the investigation, 36 suspects, including a former deputy mayor, a building control manager, municipal employees, contractors, and hotel owners, were detained.

6 PEOPLE HAD BEEN ARRESTED PREVIOUSLY

In the previous phase of the investigation, operations carried out in September of last year resulted in the detention and subsequent arrest of former Manavgat Mayor Şükrü Sözen and his brother, Fatih Sözen.

It was stated that a total of 6 people had been arrested within the same case file.

WITNESS TESTIMONIES AND MASAK REPORTS ENTERED THE FILE

The investigation conducted by the Manavgat Chief Public Prosecutor's Office examined witness testimonies, statements from some suspects who benefited from effective remorse provisions, reports from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), and correspondence obtained from digital materials.

According to the information and documents included in the investigation file, it was determined that some business people and tourism operators paid bribes to Şükrü Sözen and his brother, either in person, through intermediaries, or via companies established for this purpose, in exchange for structures that violated licenses and projects.

ALLEGATIONS OF REAL ESTATE IN EXCHANGE FOR BRIBES

As the investigation deepened, it was determined that some real estate given as bribes changed hands through individuals referred to as "custodians" and were transferred to the suspects free of charge.

Furthermore, it was alleged that some contractors were granted occupancy permits for properties that violated licenses and projects in exchange for apartments given to first-degree relatives of the former zoning manager for free or well below their value.

Expert reports prepared within the scope of the investigation stated that some tender contracts were consistently awarded to the same firms in exchange for favors, causing billions of liras in public loss.

The report also stated that there were findings indicating that the suspect former mayor and his brother used municipal resources for their own interests and caused the forced transfer of hotel shares belonging to a business person.

It was alleged that the suspects used the income they obtained to purchase numerous luxury vehicles, real estate, and workplaces under the names of various individuals, and also laundered the proceeds of crime by establishing various businesses.

According to information in the file, it was also claimed that some suspects, under the direction of the imprisoned suspects, filed false reports against some hoteliers who testified against them.

According to the allegations, information obtained from the inside was used to issue high-amount fines against tourism operators, and this method was used to attempt to intimidate hotel owners.

36 DETAINED IN SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION

In the final phase of the investigation, simultaneous operations were carried out by gendarmerie teams under the instruction of the prosecutor's office.

A total of 36 suspects, including former deputy mayor O.E.D., building control manager M.Y., municipal employees, contractors, and hotel owners, were detained in the operations.

News Source: 12punto