First hearing held for hearing-impaired Nihal, who was a victim of murder

The first hearing has been held in the murder case of 24-year-old hearing-impaired Nihal Babayiğit, whose body was found in a wooded area after she had been reported missing for 9 months in Antalya. The primary detained suspect in the murder, her hearing-impaired boyfriend Mehmet Basık, who attended the hearing, claimed that his other girlfriend committed the murder and defended himself by saying, 'How could I kill the mother of my child?' 

Hearing-impaired Nihal Babayiğit (24), who lived in the Merkez neighborhood of Serik district, met Mehmet Basık, who lived in Batman, via social media in 2022. The couple, who began living together for a while, had a child in 2023. When Babayiğit had a disagreement with her boyfriend, Mehmet Basık came to Serik district on September 9, 2023, to talk to Nihal Babayiğit. Later, when no news could be heard from Nihal Babayiğit, videos and photos were sent to the family by unknown persons indicating that Nihal Babayiğit had been killed. Upon this, the family applied to the police. 

Search conducted based on phone signal, but she was not found 

Following the incident, the Serik Police Department Public Security teams detained Mehmet Basık in Batman on May 2. Basık was arrested by the Criminal Court of Peace. After the message sent to the family, police teams conducted extensive search operations with cadaver dogs in the areas where Babayiğit's phone signal was last cut off. The search for Babayiğit, whose traces could not be found in any way, was continued. 

Boyfriend revealed the location of the body, claiming 'others did it' 

Following these developments, Mehmet Basık, who was in prison, was brought to the Serik Courthouse from Manavgat Prison to give a statement again. Giving a statement there, Basık stated that he did not commit the incident himself but knew the location of the body, and reported that the address was on the Belek Road in Eminceler neighborhood. Upon this, the teams that went to the region found clothing and bone fragments belonging to the young woman at the address indicated by the suspect. 

It became her grave once it was determined the bones belonged to Nihal 

The bones, which were removed by the police, Crime Scene Investigation, and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Cemetery Directorate teams, were collected in a body bag. The bones, which were then placed in a coffin, were sent to the Antalya Forensic Medicine Institute for autopsy. After the examinations conducted there, the bones, which were determined to belong to Babayiğit, were laid to rest 4 months later. 

Murder suspect and his other girlfriend included in the indictment as suspects 

An indictment was prepared by the Manavgat Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for the primary detained suspect of the incident, Mehmet Basık, for 'premeditated murder, intentional killing against a woman', and for Mehmet Basık's (23) other girlfriend, Başak G. (25), with the status of "aiding by encouraging the commission of the crime or strengthening the decision to commit the crime". 

Postponed to January 

The first hearing was held today at the Manavgat 3rd High Criminal Court. While the defendant Mehmet Basık, the family of the murdered Nihal, Nihal's uncle, witness A.Y., and the lawyers of the parties attended the hearing, one of the other witnesses, M.H., attended via SEGBİS, and Başak G. could not attend. A sign language interpreter was utilized in the hearing due to the defendant and the witness being hearing-impaired. 

While the court decided to continue the detention of Mehmet Basık, it decided to continue the international travel ban and judicial control status of Başak G., who did not attend the hearing. It postponed the hearing to January. The court also requested bus and seat records regarding the date of the murder and all phone records belonging to Başak. 

“He said 'How could I kill the mother of my child' and blamed his other girlfriend” 

After the court, the lawyer for Nihal Babayiğit's family, Yağmur Burçin Sayın, made statements. Stating that the defendant Mehmet Basık did not accept any of the accusations, claimed that the murder was committed by Başak G., and defended himself by stating his innocence, Sayın said, “The main defendant, Mehmet, shifted all the blame in the hearing onto Başak, who appears in the file as an instigator. Due to Başak not being at the hearing and not being able to give her defense and statement, the hearing was postponed to January. A witness was heard at the hearing. It was stated that the witness did not know the defendant. We think it is because of fear. Therefore, the other suspect, Başak, needs to be heard. Because the suspicion of murder also lies with Başak. Who killed Nihal remains up in the air within the scope of the file. Although we say that the defendant is Mehmet based on the evidence collected, it is essential that Başak be heard.” 

“WHERE IS THE KNIFE?” 

Stating that they had a very difficult hearing, Sayın said, “We had difficulty understanding them because they are hearing-impaired. It was a hearing that lasted about 2 hours. The hearing will be held again in January. Mehmet, whose defense was taken, says that Başak killed Nihal. Therefore, the question we asked the defendant was; 'If the two of them killed her, where is this knife?' We want Başak to come to the hearing, make her defense, and for it to be revealed who committed the crime.” 

He did not accept the accusations 

Conveying the defendant's words in court, Lawyer Sayın said, “The defendant said in court that Başak and Nihal fought. He said that Başak told him, 'I am pregnant, you take the blame. We are hearing-impaired, nothing will happen to us, we will lie in prison for a month or two and get out,' and that is why he took the blame. Finally, he said, 'I am not someone who would kill the mother of my child.' He did not accept any of the accusations,” she said.