Venue for Ekrem İmamoğlu trial determined

The countdown has begun for the case filed against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, which involves a large number of defendants. The trial, in which more than 400 defendants—including İBB Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu—will be tried, will be heard on March 9.

NEW COURTROOM NOT READY FOR FIRST HEARING

Construction of a large courtroom within the campus of the Marmara F-Type Prison in Silivri had begun due to the insufficient capacity of the existing courtroom.

However, according to a report by İsmail Saymaz from Halk TV, it has been learned that the new courtroom will not be ready for the first hearing to be held on March 9. Consequently, the court panel decided to start the proceedings in Courtroom No. 1 of the existing building.

Due to the limited capacity of the courtroom, it was stated that initially, only the detained defendants would be summoned to the hearing. It was indicated that the non-detained defendants could be summoned after the month of Ramadan or, if the new courtroom is completed, by that date.

143 DIFFERENT ACTS IN THE INDICTMENT

The indictment regarding the case was prepared on December 8. The indictment includes 143 different acts.

The defendants face charges including "establishing and managing a criminal organization," "membership in a criminal organization," "knowingly and willingly aiding an organization without being part of its hierarchical structure," "bribery," "receiving bribes," "extortion," "rigging tenders," "fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations," "violation of the Tax Procedure Law," "laundering assets derived from crime," "recording personal data," "seizing and disseminating personal data," "intentional pollution of the environment," "violation of the Forestry Law," "publicly disseminating misleading information," "damaging public property," and "violation of the Mining Law."

The indictment requests a prison sentence for Ekrem İmamoğlu ranging from 849 years to 2,430 years and 6 months. The case will officially begin with the first hearing on March 9.

News Source: 12punto