Second session of IMM trial continues: Defendants reject bribery and organization charges

The second session of the IMM trial, in which 414 people, including the suspended Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Ekrem İmamoğlu, are being tried, continues. The trial, in which 53 defendants are in custody, is being held at the Marmara Prison complex in Silivri.

On the fourth day of the second session, which began on August 17, the defendants' testimonies and the questions of the lawyers came to the fore. During the hearing, defendant Erdoğan Göğen denied the allegation that he provided a 1 million 250 thousand dollar bribe to former CHP MP Aykut Erdoğdu during the transfer of a waste facility.

Responding to the question from Aykut Erdoğdu's lawyer, Tuğba Torun, "How much did you pay to take over the company?", Göğen said, "I paid a transfer fee of 1 million 350 thousand Euros. While I took over the company for this amount, the figure of 1 million 200 thousand dollars spoken of as a bribe does not make sense to my business mind."

Defendant Erdal Celal Aksoy, Deputy Secretary General of the IMM, argued that he was not in Istanbul on the date specified in the charges against him. Aksoy stated that he was in Hatay during the period cited as the date of the crime due to the 2023 earthquakes.

Former Istanbul Planning Agency (İPA) employee Şehide Zehra Keleş also stated in her defense that she learned she was being accused in relation to the IMM Hanem application only later, and objected to the charge of membership in an organization against her. Keleş's lawyer, Büşra Çakır, stated that her client cited her salary remaining below the poverty line as the reason for leaving the İPA, and asked, "Would a member of a criminal organization quit their job for this reason?"

DEFENSES THAT STOOD OUT IN PREVIOUS DAYS

On the third day of the second session, the presiding judge announced that they plan to complete the defenses and interrogations of the non-custodial defendants by the end of September, and that at least 20 people will be heard per day for this purpose.

Detained Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık denied the accusation, stating that he was in prison on the date he was alleged to have engaged in "bribery negotiations." To the question Çalık directed at non-custodial defendant Nahit Kiler, "Did I ask you for money for my own financial gain?", Kiler replied, "You never asked me for any money."

İsmet Koyun, manager of the Kobil company, who was heard within the scope of the accusations regarding the 'İstanbul Senin' application, stated that the mayor was Recep Tayyip Erdoğan when they started working with the IMM. Koyun said that there were no findings of data leaks in the prepared reports, stating, "They claim we installed spyware on the 'İstanbul Senin' program. Whoever claims this must prove it."

On the second day of the session, the statements of businessman Muzaffer Beyaz, who benefited from effective remorse, were discussed. Beyaz said he heard some of the allegations from his older brother. The prosecution's request for arrest due to contradictory statements was rejected by the court panel by a majority vote.

Veysel Erçevik, former Deputy Mayor of Beylikdüzü, who was heard on the same day, stated in response to a question that he signed his statement without reading it. Businessman Furkan Hamzaoğlu, when asked about his statement being identical to that of his father, Yüksel Hamzaoğlu, replied that he had heard what he said from his father and Oktay Hamzaoğlu.

On the first day of the second session, lawyers had voiced their objections regarding the conditions in the section where detained defendants are held and the microphones in the courtroom. Subsequently, the defenses of the non-custodial defendants had begun.

Baki Aydöner, who is detained within the scope of the operation targeting the Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality but is being tried without custody in the IMM trial, had denied the allegation that he received 30 million dollars from Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek. Musician Ercan Saatçi also stated in his account of the detention process that he was told while being taken to the police station, "You will understand which organization you are a member of when we arrive," and that he encountered many people he did not know inside.

News Source: 12punto