Verdict on Mayor Koçyiğit: 4 years and 2 months in prison for 'Sexual Assault'

The Mesudiye Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced Koçyiğit to a total of 4 years and 2 months in prison for an act of "Simple Sexual Assault," which was deemed proven by camera footage and HTS (Historical Traffic Search) data.

The court announced its verdict in the trial of Mayor Cengiz Koçyiğit, who became the subject of public attention following accusations of sexual assault against a female municipal employee in the Mesudiye district of Ordu. In the hearing held on 07/04/2026, the court rejected the defendant's defense and issued a conviction.

Court Issues Ruling Exceeding "Molestation" After Appeal

During the second hearing held at the Mesudiye Criminal Court of First Instance, the Public Prosecutor emphasized that although the defendant's actions could not be considered a "chain crime," the final act was proven with concrete evidence.

The opinion stated that the defendant's 17-second touching act exceeded the level of "molestation" in terms of duration and nature, and constituted the crime of "Simple Sexual Assault."

The court initially sentenced defendant Cengiz Koçyiğit to 5 years in prison in accordance with Article 102/1-1 of the Turkish Penal Code.

Evaluating the defendant's behavior during the trial process as "good conduct," the court applied a 1/6 reduction under Article 62 of the Turkish Penal Code, reducing the sentence to 4 years and 2 months in prison.

Camera Footage and "Contact" Messages Served as Evidence

The most critical evidence in the case file was the video recording secretly made by the victim to protect herself and create evidence. Court records indicate that in the footage, the defendant continued his actions despite the victim's objections and biting his hand, and that he confirmed the allegations in messages sent via WhatsApp, stating, "Contact is a must."

Koçyiğit, who denied the accusations in his defense and claimed that the victim had shown him affection, saw his statements rejected by the court, which deemed them "an attempt to evade criminal liability."

No Suspension or Reduction Applied

The court panel ruled that there was no room for the suspension of the prison sentence (Article 51 of the Turkish Penal Code) or the deferment of the announcement of the verdict (Article 231/5 of the Criminal Procedure Code) due to the amount of the sentence and the failure to meet legal requirements.

Furthermore, it was decided that the defendant be deprived of certain rights in accordance with Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code.

The judicial process is not yet closed for Koçyiğit, who announced during the investigation phase that he had resigned from the AKP "so that his party and council members would not be harmed," but who continues to serve as an independent mayor. The court announced the verdict, stating that the parties could appeal to the Samsun Regional Court of Justice within 2 weeks.

News: 12 punto

News Source: 12punto