Tension in IMM trial... İmamoğlu argues with prosecutor: 'I will not bow to one person's word'

Notable developments took place during the fourth session of the trial concerning the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. For the first time in the trial, a whistleblower testified, and tension rose in the courtroom from time to time.

A WHISTLEBLOWER TESTIFIES FOR THE FIRST TIME

İbrahim Polat, one of the managers of the IMM subsidiary Ağaç AŞ who is currently in custody, testified at the hearing. It was reported that an argument broke out between Ekrem İmamoğlu and the trial prosecutor during Polat's testimony.

Following the completion of Polat's testimony, the court panel adjourned for a lunch break.

İMAMOĞLU ADDRESSES THE LAWYERS

According to information provided by Halk TV reporter Gamze Altunay, İmamoğlu, who left the courtroom, turned to the lawyers and made statements.

İmamoğlu told the lawyers the following:

“These serve only one person and one family. Tomorrow, I will serve the 86 million people of this country. They are also harming the person and family they serve. It shouldn't be like this. They are causing damage to them as well. What will we do? We will bow down. To whom? To one person's word. That will never happen.”

“TABLE” DISPUTE WITH THE PROSECUTOR

It was stated that an argument also occurred during the hearing due to a table prepared by the prosecution regarding Ağaç AŞ.

While İmamoğlu used the word "lie" for the table in question, it was reported that the prosecutor requested that İmamoğlu be removed from the courtroom. The presiding judge reportedly did not accept this request.

“THE INSTITUTION'S BUDGET IS 5 BILLION”

Answering journalists' questions during the break, İmamoğlu made the following assessment regarding the table:

“I mean, it's completely empty. They made a table saying that in XY, payments reached 20 billion per month. 20 billion! The annual budget of this institution is 5 billion! And the prosecution, which prepared this table, did this! Think about it! The prosecution! Look, the prosecution. In other words, the prosecution, working under the leadership of a politician who looks like a chief prosecutor, did these things. A state institution cannot do this.”

“I CANNOT CALL HIM A MAN”

Upon a question from journalists regarding Polat, who is said to be a whistleblower, İmamoğlu stated the following:

“I cannot call him a man. You know what I would say? I worked with people who served this institution for nearly 65 percent of the time during the past periods, during the AK Party era. That person... I have even stopped asking questions now, but... If that person had written a single line to me, I sent auditors to every institution, I opened audits... This institution has been audited 1,600 times. Excluding internal audits... 1,600 times! In the 5 years before us, 140 times! Look, that is 10 times more.”

PRESS ARRANGEMENT CHANGED IN THE COURTROOM

Following journalists asking questions to İmamoğlu during the hearing, the presiding judge decided to change the seating arrangement for members of the press.

The presiding judge requested that journalists be removed from the section where the lawyers were located and follow the hearing from where they had previously been seated.

News Source: 12punto