Verdict day in the Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi murder case

The incident, which caused a major public outcry, occurred on January 24, 2025, at the historic Tuesday Market in Kadıköy. 14-year-old Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, the son of Italian chef Andrea Minguzzi and cellist Yasemin Akıncılar, had gone to the market with his friends to buy skateboard parts.

According to the indictment and witness statements, while Minguzzi and his friends were walking around, a conversation took place between them and two children identified as U.B. (15) and B.B. (15). It was stated that following this conversation, B.B. initiated an argument by pushing Minguzzi, then attacked him with a knife taken from a stall, causing injuries to various parts of Minguzzi's body.

During this time, it was alleged that U.B. kicked Minguzzi while he was lying on the ground. The suspects fled the scene after bystanders intervened. The young boy, who was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, lost his 17-day battle for life and passed away on February 9.

INDICTMENT AND FORENSIC FINDINGS

The indictment prepared by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office also included the autopsy report from the Council of Forensic Medicine. The report noted that three sharp force injuries and one penetrating injury were detected on Minguzzi's body, and that the cause of death was internal organ damage resulting from the attack with a sharp object.

For B.B. and U.B., who were arrested following the incident, a prison sentence of 18 to 24 years was requested for the crime of "intentional homicide against a child."

As part of the investigation, an additional indictment was filed against two other juvenile defendants, M.A.D. and A.Ö., who were determined to have acted with these two defendants on the day of the incident, requesting prison sentences of 15 to 20 years on charges of "aiding and abetting intentional homicide against a child." With the consolidation of both files, the number of detained defendants in the case rose to four.

JUDICIAL PROCESS AND PROSECUTION'S OPINION

In previous hearings of the case held at the Anatolian 2nd Juvenile High Criminal Court, the defendants appeared before the judge for the first time and their defenses were heard.

In its final opinion, the prosecution requested that defendants B.B. and U.B. be punished for "intentional homicide against a child," and the other two defendants for "aiding and abetting."

In the 5th session, the court decided to continue the detention of the defendants and adjourned the hearing to October 21 to reach a verdict.

VERDICT DAY AWAITED

At the hearing to be held today, the court is expected to announce its final verdict in line with the prosecution's opinion.