Allegedly slit child's throat for 10 million TL: Here is the requested sentence

The hearing held at the Eskişehir 1st High Criminal Court was attended by the detained defendant, Habib Kara, who was brought in a wheelchair. The family of the injured child, neighbors, and lawyers for both parties were also present at the hearing. In his opinion on the merits, the public prosecutor requested that the defendant Kara be sentenced to between 23 and 44 years in prison for the crimes of "attempted intentional murder of a child," "deprivation of liberty," "qualified robbery," and "damage to property." The court panel adjourned the hearing, giving the defendant and his lawyer time to prepare their defense against the prosecutor's opinion.

"I WILL KILL YOUR CHILD"

Plaintiff's lawyer İsmail Doğancan Çıra stated, "The suspect is demanding 10 million liras from his own family. The suspect's family, however, is not paying this money. He runs a bakery and frequently brings bread to the plaintiff's dogs. On the day of the incident, he comes to the plaintiff's house again with a bag in his hand, and the plaintiff thinks he is bringing bread. He holds a utility knife to the throat of my client's son, who is sitting on the sofa inside the house, and shows a note, saying, 'This is my brother's number, call my brother; if my brother doesn't give 10 million liras, I will kill your child.' My client calls his brother, but they cannot reach an agreement during the shouting and commotion. My client catches the suspect off guard, jumps on him, and saves his child from his hands, but the child's throat remains slit. The suspect goes to his own house, opens the natural gas valves, and tries to blow up the house. Then he pours gasoline on the house, starts a fire, and attempts suicide by jumping from the roof," he said.

BACKGROUND OF THE INCIDENT

Habib Kara, who runs a bakery in the city, had gone to the house of his childhood friend İsmail Y. in the Yeşiltepe neighborhood in February. Holding a utility knife to the throat of the 1.5-year-old son of the couple İsmail and Sibel Y., Habib Kara had demanded that İsmail Y. call his own brother, Nurettin Kara, and ask for 10 million liras on his behalf. While the brother was hanging up the phone, İsmail Y. tried to save his child, during which time Habib Kara injured the child in the throat with the utility knife. Kara then fled the house, set his own home in the Şirintepe neighborhood on fire, and jumped from the terrace of the building. While Habib Kara and the 1.5-year-old child injured in the scuffle were taken to the hospital for treatment, Kara was arrested after being discharged.