Prison sentence for Ebru Şallı's husband Uğur Akkuş for 'qualified fraud'

Ebru Şallı's husband, businessman Uğur Akkuş, and his nephew Emre Akkuş have been sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison each, along with a fine of 83,320 Turkish Lira each, for the crime of "qualified fraud" in a trial concerning the issuance of bounced checks during a transaction.

While the defendants Uğur Akkuş and Emre Akkuş did not attend the hearing at the Anadolu 8th High Criminal Court, their lawyers were present.

In the hearing, the public prosecutor, presenting their opinion on the merits, stated that the defendants had issued a check worth 480,000 Turkish Lira to the company Orion Jv Havacılık, and that the complainant, Ramazan Gedik, could not receive payment because the check presented to the bank was dishonored.

The prosecutor's opinion noted that the defendants, acting in unity of intent and action, had engaged in fraudulent behavior by obtaining a "payment prohibition order" through the court—a public institution—in order to avoid the penalties for bounced checks and to evade payment, thereby defrauding the complainant.

The opinion requested that both defendants be punished for the crime of "qualified fraud" under the provisions regarding "the use of information systems, banks, or credit institutions as tools, and the use of public institutions or organizations, political parties, associations, or foundations as tools during commercial or cooperative activities."

Following the prosecutor's opinion, Uğur Akkuş's lawyer, Ahmet Yıldız, stated that they had attempted to reach a settlement with the other party to cover the damages, saying, "However, we could not reach a settlement because they demanded five times the amount of the damage. We are ready to cover the damage related to the check. If a place of payment is designated for us, we want to cover the damages in the file. We request that an acquittal decision be rendered for my client."

"THE CLIENT'S SIGNATURE WAS FORGED"

Defendant Emre Akkuş's lawyer, Hüseyin Çağatay Çakar, claimed that his client had been defrauded by the other defendant, Uğur Akkuş, stating, "A complaint has been filed with the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Uğur Akkuş and three employees. The client's signature was forged. My client had no intent to defraud the complainant company. He did not obtain any benefit from this either. I request his acquittal."

Concluding the case, the court sentenced both defendants to 4 years and 2 months in prison each for the crime of "qualified fraud" under the provisions regarding "the use of information systems, banks, or credit institutions as tools, and the use of public institutions or organizations, political parties, associations, or foundations as tools during commercial or cooperative activities."

The panel also imposed a fine of 83,320 Turkish Lira on each of the defendants.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

The indictment prepared by the Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that on June 30, 2021, the defendants Uğur and Emre Akkuş, who hold the status of merchants, acted in unity of intent and action and obtained a payment prohibition order through the court—a public institution—in order to avoid the penalties for bounced checks and to avoid paying the complainant.

The indictment, which stated that there was sufficient evidence and signs that the defendants had defrauded the complainant through fraudulent actions, requested that Uğur and Emre Akkuş be punished for the crime of "qualified fraud" under the provisions regarding "the use of information systems, banks, or credit institutions as tools, and the use of public institutions or organizations, political parties, associations, or foundations as tools during commercial or cooperative activities."

News Source: AA