4th hearing in cooperative case today

The trial continues regarding allegations of irregularities in urban transformation projects, coordinated by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. In the 4th session of the case, which will be heard at the İzmir 23rd High Criminal Court, it is expected that defenses will be taken from former İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer and other defendants, and that the evaluation of evidence in the file will continue.

INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED ON JULY 1

An investigation was launched on July 1 following allegations of corruption through subcontractor firms via İZBETON AŞ, one of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality's subsidiaries. Based on reports from the Court of Accounts, civil inspectors, and expert witnesses, detention warrants were issued for 157 people on charges of "rigging a tender" and "qualified fraud." Of these individuals, 139 suspects were apprehended, including the mayor of the period, Tunç Soyer, and former CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu. While 60 of the suspects referred to the courthouse were arrested, changes in the number of detainees occurred as a result of appeals and hearings.

DEMAND FOR UP TO 45 YEARS IN PRISON

The indictment accepted by the İzmir 23rd High Criminal Court alleges irregularities in the revenue-sharing construction projects for the Örnekköy 3rd and 4th stages, the Gaziemir-Aktepe-Emrez Neighborhood 1st stage, and the Karabağlar 3rd and 4th stages. In addition to 449 victims and 7 complainants, the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the Ministry of Interior, the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, and İZBETON AŞ are included in the file as "parties harmed by the crime." Prison sentences ranging from 3 to 45 years were requested for the defendants on charges including "qualified fraud," attempted commission of this crime, and other accusations.

9 RELEASES IN PREVIOUS HEARINGS

In the first hearing of the trial, which began in September, it was decided to release İZBETON AŞ Board members Levent İşler, Sevcan Tınaztepe, Orhan Sertaç Dölek, and Mehmet Gürhan Özata, as well as former Deputy General Manager Mehmet Alphan Bozan. In the second hearing held in October, Şenol Aslanoğlu, Cihangir Lübiç, and Hüseyin Şimşek were released. In the third hearing in December, the court decided to release Barış Karcı and lifted the house arrest measure for Şenol Aslanoğlu, while ruling for the continued detention of Tunç Soyer and Heval Savaş Kaya.

SECOND ARREST FOR SOYER ON “EMBEZZLEMENT” CHARGES

While the main trial was ongoing, a separate investigation was conducted regarding embezzlement allegations concerning the S.S. Business People Örnekköy Housing Construction Cooperative. Following an operation carried out by the Provincial Security Directorate's Anti-Financial Crimes Branch teams on December 26, the suspects referred to the courthouse on December 29 appeared before a judge. Tunç Soyer, who was already in custody, former İZBETON AŞ General Manager Heval Savaş Kaya, former CHP İzmir Provincial Chairman Şenol Aslanoğlu, and business people Burak Bakır and Yıldırım Kuruoğulları were arrested on charges of "embezzlement" and sent to prison.