New development in the 'Köfteci Yusuf' case, in which Sedat Peker is also being tried

The trial of 19 non-detained defendants, including organized crime leader Sedat Peker, continued over allegations that a meat processing facility in Afyonkarahisar was attempted to be sold to the owner of the "Köfteci Yusuf" restaurant chain in Bursa through threats.

Only the plaintiff's lawyer attended the hearing at the Bursa 5th High Criminal Court. Defendant Remzi Y., who is detained for another crime, also connected to the hearing via SEGBİS.

The plaintiff's attorney requested that the missing issues be resolved.

Defendant Remzi Y. claimed that he had no connection to the incident and requested that his file be separated and that he be acquitted.

The court panel decided to maintain the arrest warrant and red notice for defendant Sedat Peker, as well as the judicial control measures for some other defendants, and adjourned the hearing until July.

INVESTIGATION PROCESS

It was alleged that negotiations were held through intermediaries for the sale of a meat processing facility in Afyonkarahisar, owned by Mehmet S. and put up for sale in 2017, to Yusuf Akkaş, the owner of the Bursa-based restaurant chain "Köfteci Yusuf," for 20 million liras. An investigation was launched after Akkaş filed a complaint alleging that he was threatened due to the prolongation of the sales process. Of the 19 suspects who were alleged to have formed a criminal organization and were detained on July 6, 2020, 9 were arrested, but the detained defendants were released during the trial process. It was alleged that the defendants were connected to Sedat Peker.

In the indictment prepared against organized crime leader Sedat Peker, whose file was separated in the case, it was requested that Peker be tried for "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes, and looting by taking advantage of the intimidating power created by presumed criminal organizations."

The indictment stated that a recording of a phone conversation with Peker was found during the examination of the phone of Erhan K., one of the defendants in the case, and included a transcript of the conversation. According to the indictment, which alleged that Sedat Peker gave instructions to defendants Erhan K. and Ahmet A. regarding the qualified looting act against the plaintiff Yusuf Akkaş, it was stated that footage of fights that had broken out at Akkaş's workplace was found on the phone of defendant Mehmet S.

While the trial was continuing at the Bursa 5th High Criminal Court, the court panel had decided to merge the file with the file prepared by the Istanbul Anadolu 16th High Criminal Court. After the Istanbul Anadolu 16th High Criminal Court did not grant consent on this matter, the files were sent to the 5th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation with the request to resolve the merger dispute between the two courts and to determine the venue of the trial. The Chamber decided that there was no room for merging the case in Bursa with the case of the Istanbul Anadolu 16th High Criminal Court, lifted the merger decision, and ruled that the cases should be conducted through each court's own files.

News Source: AA