Ahbap Association investigation: Testimony of detained lawyer Ece Güner revealed

The police testimony of lawyer Ece Güner, who was detained as part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the Ahbap Association, has been revealed.

"I DID NOT ACT AS HALUK LEVENT'S LAWYER OR CONSULTANT"

In her testimony, where she stated that she did not wish to benefit from effective remorse provisions, lawyer Ece Güner said, "I have savings of approximately 1 million dollars in my bank account. Apart from this, I recall having savings of around one hundred thousand dollars abroad, though I do not remember the exact amount. Until now, I have not worked anywhere other than the Güner Law Firm. I know that the Ahbap Association is a charitable organization. I have been donating to this association for the last 5-6 years. I made substantial donations, especially during the earthquake.

I have no knowledge regarding the establishment and structure of the Ahbap Association; I only know Haluk Levent by name as a famous person and a philanthropist. I made my donations through the IBAN numbers provided on social media. I do not know who uses the accounts of the Ahbap Association. Furthermore, I did not act as a lawyer or consultant for either this association or the person named Haluk Levent," she said.

"HE STARTED ASKING ME FOR LOANS"

Continuing her testimony, Güner said, "I knew Haluk Levent because I thought he was a famous person and a philanthropist. After the Hatay earthquake, I had made a substantial donation. Following my donations, the person named Haluk Levent reached me via my phone number. He said he wanted to visit me and have a coffee. I did not want the aid I provided to be seen or heard about. I did not really want Haluk Levent to meet with me.

Between May and June 2023, Haluk Levent came to my office with a bouquet of flowers. This is how my first face-to-face meeting with him took place. After this date, he started asking me for loans by offering excuses related to the problems in the earthquake zone.

At first, he asked me for around 300-400 thousand dollars. At that time, I had plans to buy a house in Istinye Park. I also had a large amount of cash sitting idle in the bank. I sent the 300-400 thousand dollars to the accounts of the people Haluk Levent specified, with the dollar amounts written and the description 'loan'. Haluk Levent paid back his debt on the date he said he would, through the account holders to whom I had sent the money.

The same thing happened again within two weeks; he asked me for a similar amount as a two-week loan, claiming they were having cash flow problems because urgent needs in the earthquake zone, such as water, bread, and food, could not be invoiced through the association.

I transferred the money to the accounts of the people Haluk Levent sent in the same way. When I asked Haluk Levent why I was sending money to these people's accounts, he said that these friends were in the field and that they were following this path because it would be used urgently in that region. He paid back the amount I sent within two or three weeks. In this way, he gained my trust," she stated.

"HE WOULD CONSTANTLY TELL ME STORIES ABOUT HIS OWN HEALTH AND THAT OF HIS FAMILY THAT EVOKED FEELINGS OF PITY"

Continuing her testimony, Güner said, "Around August 2023, in our meeting with Haluk Levent, he mentioned that a large technology park would be established in Ankara under the leadership of the Ahbap Association and that a philanthropic businessman would undertake this, and that this businessman would provide aid of around 3 million dollars. He later said that this businessman's money was temporarily blocked due to a tax problem, and that as the Ahbap Association, they had made many commitments regarding this project, and if they could not fulfill them, it would be a great disaster for the association, lawsuits could be filed, and the association's name could be tarnished.

At first, he asked me for a 3 million dollar loan. I told him I didn't have that much money. Then he called me repeatedly with long-lasting persistence. Since he had paid back the previous loans I had given him on time, I trusted him and first sent approximately 1 million dollars in TL equivalent through the IBAN numbers of other individuals that Haluk Levent had sent me, with the dollar amount and 'loan' description.

He said the businessman who was supposed to donate for the technology park would donate to the Ahbap Association, but since the money he wanted from me was a loan and not a donation, he asked me to send this money to individual accounts rather than the association. He stated that when the donation money came from the businessman in question, he would pay me back the temporary loan I had sent.

After a month passed, he did not pay his debt. He offered me excuses and told me long stories, saying he could pay the debt in about three months. Even though he did not pay his debt, he repeatedly made additional loan requests from me. He would constantly tell me stories about his own health and that of his family that evoked feelings of pity. Following this, Haluk Levent requested a loan from me again. I sent a total of 570 thousand dollars in TL equivalent on top of the 1 million dollar loan I had previously given in three or five installments, again specifying the dollar amount and that it was a loan in the description of each. In other words, I gave him a total loan in TL equivalent to 1 million 570 thousand dollars. We recorded this 1 million 570 thousand dollar debt with Haluk Levent under a document with his own signature. After long efforts, about a year later, Haluk Levent paid back the equivalent in TL through the IBANs he gave me, although not exactly in dollars.

I am submitting the documents I had Haluk Levent sign to you, the prosecutor's office, in the presence of lawyers. My uncle, who is a lawyer, stepped in to collect these loans that I had given and which were left in limbo, and after he told Haluk Levent that we would resort to legal means if he did not pay his debt, he started to pay his debts gradually. Around the summer months of 2024, he paid the dollar equivalent of almost all of my debts in TL," she said.

News Source: İHA