Details of İmamoğlu's advisor İbrahim Özkan's prosecutor testimony revealed

İbrahim Özkan, an advisor to Ekrem İmamoğlu who was detained as part of a "corruption" investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), was released after giving his statement at the Istanbul Courthouse. Details of Özkan's testimony to the prosecutor have now emerged.

"WE HAVE NO CLOSENESS WITH İMAMOĞLU BEYOND POLITICAL MATTERS"

In his testimony to the prosecutor, Özkan stated, "I knew Ekrem İmamoğlu from social circles and because he was the Mayor of Beylikdüzü before the 2019 election process. During the election process, I became a Metropolitan Municipal Council Member from the Republican People's Party (CHP) list through the CHP-İYİ Party alliance. During this process and afterwards, we had the opportunity to get to know each other. Our acquaintance grew when I became the Deputy Group Chairperson of the Council. We have no closeness beyond political matters. As for Murat Gülibrahimoğlu, whom you asked me about, I remember meeting him once at a Trabzonspor match. I do not remember who introduced us. I have had no other meetings with him. I know Murat Ongun because he is a Communications Consultant. Other than that, I have no intimacy with him. I also met Fatih Keleş after 2019. I knew him as an İBB Beylikdüzü Council Member and the President of the İBB Sports Club. Since I was a council member on the İYİ Party quota, I never entered into any special dialogue with the people you asked me about. The kiosk issue regarding Ali Kıdık, whom you asked about, is an event he pursued entirely through his own efforts, but from which he could not get results. As far as I know, I gave him a staff member in Güngören Square, but he wanted to operate a kiosk, yet he could not get results from this. As far as I remember, the incident in question took place in 2021," he said.

"THE PHONES ARE WHAT YILDIZ GAVE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN"

Continuing his testimony, Özkan said, "The issue of phones and tablet computers mentioned in Bayram Taşkın's statement is partially true. However, the details of the matter are not included in the statement. The number of phones and tablet computers that Ertan Yıldız sent for charitable purposes is not 7 each, but as I recall, it is 4 phones and 5 tablet computers. The phones and tablet computers in question are the ones Ertan Yıldız gave in line with the needs of the children we provide scholarships to. Mustafa Bostancı, the driver mentioned in Bayram Taşkın's statement, is one of the drivers in the municipal pool. Even if you believe there is a crime in the incident in question, he is not privy to the details of the matter. However, I would like to state that, given my position and the position of Ertan Yıldız, it is contrary to the ordinary flow of life for me to accept bribes or for Ertan Yıldız to be a victim of extortion," he stated.

"I HAVE NO SIGNATURE OR AUTHORITY IN THESE MATTERS"

Özkan said, "I know Kaan Sürmegöz as the Head of the Real Estate Department. I spoke with Eylem Özkan, whom you asked me about, on the phone a few times. I know her as an advertiser. The claim in Adem Tuncay's statement that I directed Eylem Özkan to Kaan Sürmegöz for her company named 'Bottega' to be allocated advertising space is not true. I remember that Eylem Özkan may have called me for advertising space. Since the advertising business in question is a technical matter and I am a politician, it consisted only of me directing her to Kaan Sürmegöz, who is in charge of the business. If advertising space was granted, this is at the discretion of those concerned. I have no signature authority in these matters. Because I was the Deputy Group Chairperson, political requests were coming in on many issues. I may have directed these requests to the relevant managers for evaluation. I do not accept the claim that my brother does advertising business. My brother has a company in the field of fire engineering," he said.

News Source: 12punto