Chain of confessions in drug case: After Mehmet Akif Ersoy, his partner also applies to the prosecutor's office

A new development has occurred within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. It has been learned that after Mehmet Akif Ersoy, who is being held in Silivri, his partner Mustafa Manaz has also provided a statement to the prosecutor's office in order to benefit from effective remorse provisions.

The prosecutor's office is currently evaluating whether the statement provided by Manaz will be considered sufficient for his release.

DETENTION ORDERS HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR 8 SUSPECTS

Within the scope of the investigation, detention orders were issued for 8 suspects, including journalist Mehmet Akif Ersoy, on charges of "Purchasing, Accepting or Possessing Drugs or Stimulants for Personal Use" and "Using Drugs or Stimulants, and Providing a Place and Means for Their Use."

The suspects, including Habertürk Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Akif Ersoy, who was suspended from his duties following his detention as part of the investigation, were taken into custody by the Provincial Gendarmerie Command teams on December 11, 2025.

While Mehmet Akif Ersoy, Mustafa Manaz, Ufuk Tetik, and Ebru Gülan were arrested, Gizem Aybaktı, Buse Öztay, Elif Kılınç, and Mahmut Göde were released with judicial control measures, including a "travel ban."

MANAZ HAD DENIED THE ACCUSATIONS

Mustafa Manaz, a close friend and partner of Mehmet Akif Ersoy, denied the accusations against him during his interrogation by the prosecutor before his arrest.

Manaz, who is a logistics company owner, stated in his testimony, "I do not accept the accusations against me. I am being associated with people I have not seen for years."

SECRET WITNESS ALLEGATION

Mustafa Manaz's lawyer, Sevinç Horoz, claimed that the secret witness who testified against Mehmet Akif Ersoy and his friends in the file is Ahmet Göçmez.

Horoz stated, "We believe that the secret witness is Ahmet Göçmez. There is a feud between this individual and my client. We believe that this person's statements do not reflect the truth. I request my client's release."

The court, however, issued an arrest warrant for Mehmet Akif Ersoy and Mustafa Manaz.

ERSOY HAD BENEFITED FROM EFFECTIVE REMORSE

Former Habertürk TV Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Akif Ersoy applied to the prosecutor's office on December 31 and provided an additional statement lasting approximately 3 hours under the effective remorse law.

The most striking part of Ersoy's statement was what he recounted regarding Veyis Ateş. In his statement, Ersoy said, "As far as I remember, in 2019, while I was at my home in Piyalepaşa, Veyis Ateş came to see me. He had visited before as well. However, this time he had drugs with him. It was the first time in my life that I saw drugs there. I wasn't even using alcohol at that time. That day, or the second time he brought them, I used drugs for the first time at my home in Piyalepaşa."

The prosecutor's office decided that the statement provided by Ersoy was not sufficient for his release.

According to the report by Medyaradar, it has been learned that after Mehmet Akif Ersoy, his partner Mustafa Manaz has also provided an additional statement to the prosecutor's office to benefit from effective remorse provisions. It is stated that Manaz shared new names in his statement.