On the 94th day of the trial concerning the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), non-detained defendant and businessman Serdar Haydanlı presented his defense. The trial, held in the courtroom established at the Marmara Closed Prison complex in Silivri by the Istanbul 33rd High Criminal Court, involves 436 defendants, including IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu, 53 of whom are in custody.
In his defense, Haydanlı stated that his commercial relationship with the IMM and the municipal subsidiary Kültür AŞ did not begin during the new administration's term. Haydanlı, who said that the company he represents had worked with the IMM in the events sector even before the 2019 local elections, asserted that his company was not one that began receiving public contracts thanks to the new administration.
Explaining that as of the end of 2019, he had approximately 17 million lira in outstanding progress payments and collateral receivables, Haydanlı said that contracts continuing from the previous term and uncollected receivables were of vital importance to his company. Haydanlı argued that his economic losses had worsened alongside other contract and receivable claims.
During the questioning following the defense, the prosecutor asked Haydanlı if he knew Murat Ongun and Fatih Keleş. Haydanlı replied, "I know Murat Ongun by name. I do not know Fatih Keleş; his name was mentioned in the market.”
Regarding the prosecutor's question about the fugitive Emrah Bağdatlı, Haydanlı initially said, "I don't know him, I have no idea." Upon the prosecutor's reminder that "You have statements about him as well," Haydanlı stated, "Again, I heard in the sector that Emrah was distributing all the work.”
Taking the floor at the hearing, detained Medya AŞ Chairman of the Board Murat Ongun asked Haydanlı, "What is this 'hearsay' you speak of? My duties are different; I am not involved with Kültür AŞ's tenders." Haydanlı said that while Ongun's name was mentioned, he had not made a statement claiming that he was "distributing tenders.”
Ongun also brought up contradictions in Haydanlı's statements regarding the company's founding date. Haydanlı stated that he did not remember the exact founding date of the company.
Nusret Yılmaz, the lawyer for Ekrem İmamoğlu's father Hasan İmamoğlu, asked Haydanlı a question regarding the detention process. Haydanlı did not provide an explanation on this matter, stating that he was not the addressee of the question.
News Source: 12punto
