New development in the elevator accident case resulting in the death of Zeren Ertaş: 'Expert report' to be renewed

22-year-old university student Zeren Ertaş lost her life in an elevator accident that occurred at the KYK Güzelhisar Girls' Dormitory in the Işıklı neighborhood of Efeler district.

Following the incident, an investigation conducted by the Public Prosecutor's Office led to the arrest of elevator company official M.B. and company owner H.T. As the investigation deepened, the company's engineers R.H.A. and U.I. were also apprehended and arrested, while the company's electrical engineer N.M. was tried without arrest.

The third hearing of the case, in which the number of defendants has risen to 5, was held today at the 2nd High Criminal Court. In the hearing, which was not attended by Zeren Ertaş's family and their lawyers, the defendants presented their defenses based on the completed second expert report.

"I REQUEST MY ACQUITTAL"

While the defendants stated that their previous defenses remained valid, defendant R.H.A. continued his defense by saying, "After the accident, the first experts appointed by your court found my company to be partially at fault. As a result, we presented our defense throughout two court sessions. We submitted evidence in the form of official documents, showed witnesses, and had witnesses heard. Following these defenses, we also received an expert opinion report from a professor who is a mechanical engineer.

This report found my company to be faultless, without attributing any blame. After these defenses, your court requested a second expert report. A new expert committee submitted a new report. In the conclusion part of this report, no fault was attributed to my company either. Therefore, I request my acquittal from your panel."

"I DID MY JOB CORRECTLY AND PROPERLY"

Defendant H.T., who stated that his defense was the same as in the first and second hearings, said, "If his company was found innocent in the second expert report as R.H.A. said, it means that I also did my job correctly as a company.

As I have said from the beginning, I did my job correctly and properly as an installation company. My conscience is clear. My lawyers will provide the rest of the defense."

"THERE IS NO ELECTRICAL PROBLEM"

Stating that his initial defenses remained valid, electrical engineer N.M., one of the defendants, said, "In the first expert report, no crime was attributed to me as an electrical engineer, and my name is not mentioned in the report. However, our names were mentioned in the second expert report, but I do not accept the accusations. Because there is no electrical fault in the incident, which was determined to be entirely maintenance-related. It is a problem originating from the mechanical assembly. This is also in the expert report. I request my acquittal."

After the defense lawyers also made their statements, they requested that the construction contractor company of the elevator, the Type A inspection body, and the relevant municipality that issued the license be included in the case. Furthermore, pointing out contradictions and deficiencies in the expert report, the defense lawyers objected to the expert reports. It was also requested that the expert committee be summoned to court, arguing that the report prepared by the committee was not professional, which cast doubt on the reliability of the report and left questions unanswered.

WITHDREW HER COMPLAINT

Student S.A., who had filed a complaint against the defendants claiming she suffered psychological trauma during the incident, stated in court that she was withdrawing her complaint, saying, "I am a heart patient myself, and I have started to feel very uncomfortable during this process. I am withdrawing my complaint."

EXPERT REPORT TO BE RENEWED

Announcing the decision after the statements, the presiding judge ruled for the continuation of the detention of defendants M.B., H.T., R.H.A., and U.I., and for the continuation of the trial of N.M. without arrest. The court decided to have the expert report prepared again and adjourned the next hearing to May 21.

News Source: İHA