Prison sentence for celebrity chef Somer Sivrioğlu

Celebrity chef Somer Sivrioğlu has been sentenced to 5 years, 6 months, and 20 days in prison for the crime of 'conscious negligence' in a case regarding the collapse of a retaining wall in front of a restaurant in Beşiktaş, which resulted in one death and one injury. The same sentences were also handed down to Kazım Evirgen and Kadri Berk Cemal, who were tried alongside Sivrioğlu.

The hearing at the Istanbul 32nd High Criminal Court was attended by non-detained defendant Gülay Kula and the lawyers for the parties. Defense attorneys speaking at the hearing requested the acquittal of their clients.

COURT RULED 'CONSCIOUS NEGLIGENCE'

Concluding the case, the court sentenced Somer Sivrioğlu, Kazım Evirgen, and Kadri Berk Cemal to 5 years in prison each for the crime of "causing death and injury by negligence." Determining that the defendants committed the act with "conscious negligence," the panel increased the sentence to 6 years and 8 months each, then reduced it to 5 years, 6 months, and 20 days each, taking into account the effects of the sentence on the defendants.

The panel decided to acquit the defendants Sakine Öçal, Gülay Kula, Sevinç Kula, and Mehmet Levent Kula.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that a retaining wall in front of a restaurant on Nispetiye Street in the Etiler neighborhood collapsed on May 21, 2022.

The indictment, which noted that one person died and one person was injured due to the collapse, explained that although the defendants were in a position to foresee that the collapse of the garden wall could lead to death or injury, they continued to use the wall without having the necessary licensing, maintenance, renovation, repair, or reinforcement work carried out.

The indictment recorded that as a result of the defendants' failure to act with due care and attention, they caused the injury of complainant Baha Eddin Ali Hafez Shanableh and the death of Ahmad Muhammed Salem Lubbad, and requested prison sentences ranging from 2 years and 8 months to 22 years and 6 months each for Somer Sivrioğlu, Sakine Öçal, Gülay Kula, Sevinç Kula, Mehmet Levent Kula, Kazım Evirgen, and Kadri Berk Cemal for the crime of "causing the death or injury of one or more persons through conscious negligence."

WHO IS SOMER SİVRİOĞLU?

Somer Sivrioğlu, one of the chefs on the MasterChef program, is a Turkish restaurateur, chef, and presenter. The 53-year-old Sivrioğlu lived in Turkey until 1996 before moving to Australia at the age of 25 to continue his education.

 A graduate of the Bilkent University Tourism and Hotel Management department, the celebrity chef became a well-known figure for promoting Turkish flavors at the restaurant he opened in Sydney. In 2018, he became a judge on MasterChef Turkey and is the owner of the restaurant named Efendy in Turkey.