It ended quietly... Erdoğan acquitted in 26-year-old case
President Erdoğan has been acquitted 26 years after the investigation into the AKBİL corruption case, which was launched during his tenure as Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been acquitted in the corruption investigation launched in 1999 regarding AKBİL, which was used as a payment method in urban public transport vehicles during his time as Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. An investigation had been launched against 65 people over allegations of 2.6 trillion liras in illicit gains.
Erdoğan's name was also included in the accusations of "embezzlement while in office." However, the Üsküdar 2nd High Criminal Court of the time, while deciding to acquit 29 defendants in the case that concluded in 2003, had requested the lifting of Erdoğan's immunity. However, because Erdoğan was elected President in 2014, the trial process was halted due to his existing constitutional immunity.
Upon the request of Erdoğan's lawyers, the AKBİL file was transferred to the Istanbul Anatolian 6th High Criminal Court, and it was decided that the case would be retried. The court quietly took the file off the shelf and issued an acquittal for Erdoğan.
According to the report by Alican Uludağ from DW Türkçe, the acquittal became final as the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office did not appeal the decision.
Erdoğan's lawyers stated that the other defendants had been acquitted and requested an acquittal for President Erdoğan as well. However, the presiding judge of the court at the time stated that the case could not be heard due to the President's immunity. Following this, the presiding judge was replaced and a new panel was formed.
The new court panel reviewed the file and issued an acquittal for Erdoğan. The fact that the prosecutor's office did not appeal was instrumental in the decision becoming final.
According to the report by DW Türkçe, during President Erdoğan's trial, the "consent of the President" was also a subject of debate. Sources stated that the file was opened with Erdoğan's consent. However, Erdoğan's lawyers left questions on the subject unanswered.
In parallel with Erdoğan's acquittal, it was learned that former Minister of Interior İdris Naim Şahin was also tried and acquitted in the same court after his parliamentary term ended.