'Money counting' investigation into CHP: First statement from İmamoğlu

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu spoke at the opening of the Şile Industrial Waste Incineration Plant. Regarding the investigation launched ex officio by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the money-counting footage allegedly filmed at the CHP Istanbul Provincial Headquarters and shared on social media, İmamoğlu commented, "They think they will win the election with a setup."

Regarding the 'money counting' investigation into the CHP, İmamoğlu stated the following:

"There are people with malicious minds who are trying to create a political uproar over a transaction that took place at a law office during the purchase process of the Istanbul CHP Provincial Headquarters 20 days before the election—a transaction involving political colleagues of mine whom I value highly... The way this was served up with such an uproar... Of course, a few fanatics, with the mindset of 'how can we splash mud on Ekrem, what kind of stain or mark can we leave,' have been trying to 'splash mud on Ekrem' on major television channels. We are used to these things... These are people who do not refrain from violating the rights of others and who try to win elections through setups. They think that Ekrem will be discouraged. He will not. You will see, we will wear that handful of people down until they are exhausted..."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation ex officio yesterday (March 11) regarding the money-counting footage allegedly filmed at the CHP Istanbul Provincial Headquarters and shared on social media.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the investigation was launched ex officio to uncover the material truth and to determine whether there were any crimes or elements of a crime regarding the footage shared on some social media accounts with the note, "Footage of Fatih Keleş counting stacks of money at the CHP Istanbul Provincial Headquarters has emerged."