Ali Kılıç passes the buck to Kaftancıoğlu: Details of the 'money counting' indictment in the CHP are on 12punto

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The investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the footage of bags full of cash that emerged during the process of purchasing the Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul provincial headquarters has been completed. In the prepared indictment, the suspects, former Maltepe Mayor Ali Kılıç and Şişli Mayor Muammer Keskin, passed the buck to Canan Kaftancıoğlu.

Ali Kılıç, who claimed that he was not given a receipt or document regarding the money he provided, stated the following in the indictment: "(...) He collected a total of 200 thousand TL in donations, that on 09/12/2019, although he cannot remember exactly, someone from the CHP Istanbul provincial organization called and asked him to send the money to the address provided, that he called Melih Morsünbül to come over because he was eating at that moment and told him to take the money and deliver it to the specified address, that he did so, that he did not think it was very important to get a receipt at the moment he gave the money, that he thought the CHP Istanbul Provincial Organization would send the donation receipts later, that for this reason he did not receive a receipt or document in return, that he did not give a receipt or document to his friends either, that no receipt documenting the donation has been forwarded to him to date, that there was no one who concretely asked him to make a donation at that time, that the responsibility for initiating the campaign and collecting the money belonged to the CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency, and that he does not know whether there is a record of the donation they made at the provincial presidency (...)"

Former Şişli Mayor Muammer Keskin also stated in his testimony that the responsibility for the fundraising campaign lay with the Provincial Presidency, saying, "Someone from the CHP Istanbul provincial organization called and asked him to send the money to the address provided, that he called his private secretary at that moment and summoned him to Lawyer Ergün Özer's office, and told him to take the money and deliver it to the specified address, that he also delivered the money, that he did not receive a receipt at the moment he gave the money, that he did not give a receipt to his friends, that he was told that the donation receipts would be sent later by the CHP Istanbul Provincial Organization, that for this reason he did not receive a receipt or document in return, that he did not give a receipt or document to his friends either, that no receipt documenting the donation has been forwarded to him to date, that there was no one who concretely asked him to make a donation at that time, and that the responsibility for initiating the campaign and collecting the money belonged to the CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency (...)"

The indictment also stated that, according to the response from the land registry, a "Real Estate Sales Promise Agreement in Regulation Form" was drawn up at the Beyoğlu 3rd Notary Public on November 6, 2019, between Ali Rıza Braka, authorized on behalf of SEAS Besicilik Sanayi Ticaret Şirketi, and Canan Kaftancıoğlu on behalf of the CHP, and that in the contract, the purchase price of a total of 14 independent sections was shown as 24 million 360 thousand liras, and that after the contract, the 14 independent sections were registered on behalf of the CHP on December 11, 2019, for a price of 24 million 369 thousand liras.

The indictment noted that in the letter sent by the Prosecutor's Office to the CHP Provincial Presidency, information was requested regarding the price at which the property was purchased, the date and by whom the properties were purchased, where and how the money used for the purchase was obtained, and by what means it was paid to the seller, and it was emphasized that the CHP Provincial Presidency reported the sale price as 39 million 870 thousand liras in its response.

The indictment stated that receipts were presented showing that 6 million liras were transferred by the CHP Provincial Presidency on November 6, 2019, and 18 million 360 thousand liras on November 18, 2019, from the presidency's account. It was included in the indictment that the CHP Provincial Presidency, which stated that 24 million 360 thousand liras were paid to the seller's bank account via wire transfer, reported that 15 million 510 thousand liras were given to the seller in cash by citizens who wanted to contribute to the building to be purchased, and that 365 thousand liras in title deed fees and 4 thousand 480 liras in revolving fund payments were recorded.

The indictment pointed out that within the scope of the donation campaign, those who wish to donate can do so by sending money to party bank accounts, or they can donate to more than one person acting as a political party representative or to a party official, stating, "For this reason, there is no requirement for the party official accepting the donation to be an officially authorized person. Persons who are assumed to be able to accept donations due to their position and status within the party and who accept the donation should be accepted as 'party officials accepting donations'."

In the indictment approved by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and sent to the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance, it was requested that all 22 suspects be sentenced to 6 months to 1 year in prison each, in accordance with the article of the Law on Political Parties regarding "receiving illegal donations, loans or debts, or giving loans."

The indictment also requested that the suspects be deprived of certain rights, such as the right to vote and be elected, and the right to be an administrator or auditor of legal entities such as foundations, associations, unions, companies, cooperatives, and political parties, in accordance with Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code.

The indictment also included information that a report was filed with the Istanbul Tax Office Presidency regarding the Republican People's Party, which purchased the real estate used as the CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency building, and the seller, SEAS Besicilik company official Ali Rıza Braka, for the necessary examination and audit to be carried out within the scope of Tax Legislation.

News Source: 12punto