Former mayor in Ordu sentenced to prison for sexual assault

Following an investigation launched by the Mesudiye Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in May 2024, it was alleged that 51-year-old Cengiz Koçyiğit had sexually assaulted a 27-year-old municipal employee multiple times.

In her statement, the victim explained that Koçyiğit had sexually assaulted her in the storage room of the municipal building. She stated that to resist the incident, she secretly recorded a video during the assault and defended herself by biting Koçyiğit's hand.

The indictment prepared as part of the investigation included the statement that “there was no romantic relationship or consensual union between the defendant and the victim, and the video recording taken during the prosecution phase of the incident supports this.”

The prosecution requested a sentence for Koçyiğit for the crime of serial simple sexual assault.

In another notable development in the case, it was alleged that various offers were made to the woman to convince her to withdraw her complaint. In her testimony to the court, the victim stated that certain individuals had offered her a luxury car and a new job opportunity, and even promised to support her wedding.

Although Cengiz Koçyiğit resigned from his party following the scandal, he continued to be observed at AKP events. Throughout the trial, the court rejected the prosecutor's request for arrest and merely imposed a travel ban.

The court panel, which concluded the case on July 9, initially sentenced Koçyiğit to 5 years in prison. Subsequently, the sentence was reduced, and a total of 4 years and 2 months of imprisonment was handed down.

News Source: 12punto