CHP Party Assembly Member Turgay Özcan also gives statement regarding money-counting footage

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

Within the scope of the investigation, 12 people, including former CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Sports Club President Fatih Keleş, former CHP Istanbul Provincial Vice Chair Özgür Nas, Ali Rıza Braka, who is alleged to have sold the building in question, İmamoğlu Construction General Manager Tuncay Yılmaz, Maltepe Mayor Ali Kılıç, and Şişli Mayor Muammer Keskin, had previously given statements to the Prosecutor's Office as 'suspects'.

TURGAY ÖZCAN ALSO GIVES STATEMENT

Within the scope of the investigation, CHP Party Assembly Member Turgay Özcan also gave a statement to the Prosecutor's Office as a 'suspect'.

Speaking to members of the press after his statement, Özcan said:

"At that time, I was the CHP Küçükçekmece District Chair. Serkan Çebi is also a friend of mine of 30 years. We proudly acquired a provincial headquarters building for the Republican People's Party in Istanbul. Within the framework of that provincial building campaign, donations were received from our party members and the people around us. Serkan also added extra money, and we delivered the funds. In return, there is a huge provincial building. We are using that place. These are funds earned through the sweat of the brows of Republican People's Party members and their friends. All of the money is recorded. If it weren't recorded, they wouldn't be aware of it anyway. There is someone who says, 'I delivered 15.5 million liras.' And there is someone who says, 'I received it.' It is on record. However, in terms of the legal framework, not everyone who does these things is a professional who knows how to formalize everything legally. We are politicians. We acquired a building for our party to serve our society. We obtained it not with illicit money from anywhere, but with lawful money earned by the sweat of every party member. We are honored and proud of this. There are Republican People's Party members there. It is very natural; the entity that bought the building is the corporate identity of the Republican People's Party. Its representatives are also there. We know them; they are our friends."

News Source: İHA