Testimony of IMM Sports Club President Fatih Keleş regarding 'money counting' footage emerges

In his testimony, Keleş stated, "The footage belongs to the year 2019. Since the bags were sealed, I did not see what currency or how much money was inside the bags at that time.

I was there for a legitimate purpose, namely the purchase of real estate for our party," he reportedly said.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an ex officio investigation into the money-counting footage, which was allegedly filmed at the Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Provincial Headquarters, to uncover the material truth and determine whether any crime or criminal elements were present.

Within the scope of the investigation, it was learned that Keleş, along with former CHP Istanbul Provincial Vice President Özgür Nas and former CHP Istanbul Provincial Headquarters Press Advisor Can Poyraz, had been summoned to the prosecutor's office to give statements. Following the statements given yesterday by suspects Özgür Nas and Can Poyraz at the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan, IMM Sports Club President Fatih Keleş also came to the courthouse today to give his statement. Suspect Keleş left the courthouse after the statement process, which lasted approximately 1 and a half hours.

"I WAS TOLD A DONATION CAMPAIGN WAS ORGANIZED"

On the other hand, the testimony given by suspect Keleş to the Prosecutor's Office has emerged. Stating in his identification that he is an industrialist, married, and a father of 2, the suspect Keleş said he has been a CHP member since 2009 and stated, "I am currently a CHP Beylikdüzü municipal council member. The footage reflected in the public eye, which has now led to an investigation being launched against me, belongs to 2019.

I was a municipal council member at that date as well. At that time, the IMM Sports Club had the status of an association. I had been elected as the club president by the association's general assembly. This duty of mine still continues. 

In 2019, when the money footage was filmed, a fundraising effort had been initiated to purchase a building to be allocated for the use of the CHP Istanbul Provincial Headquarters. At that time, my CHP Beylikdüzü District President Turan Taşkın Özer, who is currently a CHP member of parliament, told me that a donation campaign had been organized across Turkey regarding the purchase of the Istanbul Provincial Building and that our party was collecting money for this purpose.

He told me that there were donation funds given to him by some individuals and that he would deliver these funds to me. A few days later, in 2019, when the footage was filmed, I met with him either at the Beylikdüzü CHP District Building or at my own office," he said.

"SINCE THE BAGS WERE SEALED, I DID NOT SEE HOW MUCH MONEY WAS INSIDE"

Suspect Keleş continued his testimony, "There was no one else with us when we met. He gave me more than one bag containing money. He said the money in the bags was collected within the scope of the donation campaign. Since the bags were sealed, I did not see what currency or how much money was inside the bags at that time.

He told me to take this money to the place they specified by contacting the Provincial Headquarters. Upon this, I contacted Provincial Vice President Özgür Nas. Nas also sent me a location and asked me to bring the money there.

Since I could not carry the bags alone and the amount was high, for security reasons, I called my friend Tuncay Yılmaz, who works at the İmamoğlu Company but has no official duty in the CHP, and told him that I would take the money to the seller's lawyer's office for the purchase of the party building. I asked him to accompany me. We went to the law office where the footage was filmed in separate vehicles. The place where the footage was filmed is a law firm belonging to lawyer Gökhan Taşkapan," he said.

"I WAS THERE FOR A LEGITIMATE PURPOSE"

Stating that he did not receive the money by counting it, suspect Keleş said, "I do not know whether the money came through donations or from somewhere else. I did not receive it by counting it; I did not feel the need to, thinking the provincial administration would know anyway. When I went to the office, Özgür Nas and Can Poyraz were waiting.

That day, the money was counted at least 3-4 times. Money in Turkish Lira, Euros, and Dollars came out of different bags. I did not pay much attention, thinking the friends from the province were familiar with the matter. After staying in the office for more than 1 hour, Mr. Özgür and the person selling the building, Ali Rıza Braka, drew up a report between themselves stating that they had delivered and received the money. I did not even see the report.

Then I left the office. I did not procure the money myself. Turan Taşkın Özer gave me the money in bags on that date. I have no involvement in the incident. Finally, I want to say that the perception being attempted to be created in the public eye regarding where the money came from and where it went is wrong. A conspiracy is being attempted to be manufactured from this. I was there for a legitimate purpose, namely the purchase of real estate for our party," he stated.