The files were closed without even taking their statements!
While operations were carried out one after another against the CHP -run district municipalities in the megacity, especially the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), it was revealed that corruption files belonging to the AKP era in the IMM were closed at the prosecutor's stage.
After Ekrem İmamoğlu was elected mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) in 2019, dozens of files containing allegations of corruption from the AKP era were handed over to prosecutors. The files, which languished on dusty shelves for years, were closed with a decision of " no prosecution " without even taking the testimony of municipal bureaucrats from the AKP era.
Some of the files forwarded to the prosecutor's office are as follows:
KİPTAŞ CORRUPTIONIn 2021, a criminal complaint was filed against İsmet Yıldırım, then-KİPTAŞ General Manager, Tuncay Çolak, Deputy General Manager Cengiz Erdem, and Turgut Büyükçolak, KİPTAŞ Development, Urbanization, and Urban Transformation Manager, over allegations of corruption in the Viaport Venezia project, which was built by KİPTAŞ using the land sale revenue sharing method in 2016. Although there were demands that the AKP-era IMM bureaucrats be punished for "abuse of trust due to a service relationship," the Gaziosmanpaşa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office ruled on December 30, 2024, declaring "no prosecution" and closing the case without even taking the suspects' statements.
BAŞAKŞEHİR DEVELOPMENT RENTIn 2021, a lawsuit was filed against former Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) bureaucrats Erkan Başkan, Gökhan Yılmaz, Hakan Yiğit, Hürriyet Özdaşdöner, and Yunus Emre Küçük for "abuse of office" regarding a plot of land in the Başakşehir district. However, on October 30, 2023, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of "no prosecution," again without even taking the suspects' statements.
It was determined that Belbim Inc., a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), spent $85,849 and 33,388 Turkish Lira on a scholarship abroad to Emre Alioğlu, who was attending Northeastern University in the US for a master's degree in 2008. The IMM determined that "regular payments were made to Alioğlu from Belbim Inc.'s coffers under the guise of an education abroad scholarship, covering his tuition fees and other expenses." A request was made for the punishment of then-Belbim Inc. Chairman of the Board Muammer Erol, Vice Chairman of the Board İskender Pala, and former Board Members Ahmet Kazokoğlu, Memduha Tek, Sadık Karabıyık, Tayfun Karali, Alişan Koyuncu, Zekeriya İde, Yaşar Parlak, Abdulkadir İnceoğlu, Mustafa Erdoğan, and Rahime Erdoğan for "breach of trust due to service." Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office did not take statements from the suspects and decided "No prosecution" on July 7, 2022.
OVERSEAS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEDIn 2008, it was determined that İSBAK Inc., a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), sent Fatih Gündoğan, Fatma Betül Sayan, Kevser Şimşek (Altun), Esma Dilek, Rahime Günay (Ceylan), and Şeyma Uluçay (İstengir) to various countries for master's and doctoral studies and provided them with scholarships for studying abroad. Although the IMM stated that the ISBAK Inc. executives at the time had caused damage to the municipality and committed the crime of "breach of trust," the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office closed the case on June 16, 2022.
Tender CorruptionIn 2018, it was determined that irregularities had occurred in a tender organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Department of Information Technology. A trial was requested for the then-IMM bureaucrats Adil Karaismailoğlu; Former IT Department Head Selim Karabulut; Former IT Director Esma Dilek; Former Deputy IT Director and Control Organization Member Şehabettin Çağlar; Control Organization Member Engineer Osman Atam; Acceptance Commission Members Engineer Bilal Keserci and Engineer Hüseyin Görgülü; Engineer İlkay Ebru Saykal; Istanbul Digital Media Inc. officials; Former General Manager Abdurrahman Tığ; Former Trade Director M. Ulvi Güneş; and Former Financial Affairs Director Mustafa Güngör; and numerous individuals were charged with "corruption in the performance of a duty." On April 24, 2024, without even taking the suspects' statements, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of "no prosecution" and closed the file.
Dormitory Building for the Ensar FoundationThe student dormitory, built in Başakşehir, was leased to the Ensar Foundation in 2008 for 3,600 TL + VAT. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) stated that the dorm, which was leased for 49 years with the promise of providing free dormitory services, charged students a significant fee and demanded that Ensar Foundation director Hacı İbrahim Dilitatlı be prosecuted for fraud. On November 29, 2022, without even taking Dilitatlı's statement, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of "no prosecution."
LAND PRIVILEGING FILEIn 2016, it was determined that Atmaca Gayrimenkul had purchased the land for 49 million Turkish Lira and sold it to KİPTAŞ, a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), for 130 million Turkish Lira four days later. Although the KİPTAŞ executives at the time were requested to be prosecuted for "fraud," the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of "no prosecution" on August 14, 2024, without taking the suspects' statements.
FAVOR TO SPREADING KNOWLEDGEIn 2018, the Imam Hatip middle school and dormitory buildings in Başakşehir were constructed by KİPTAŞ. However, the dormitory buildings were later allocated to the Science Dissemination Society free of charge for 25 years. It was emphasized that KİPTAŞ had suffered losses, and a request was made to punish 17 KİPTAŞ executives at the time for "breach of trust in service." However, the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of "no prosecution" on December 27, 2024, and closed the case.
In 2016, a tender was held for an out-of-province training program on Innovative Approaches in Local Governments for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) personnel. Stil Tatil Danışmanlık was awarded the tender, and the training was held at the Bolu Büyük Abant Hotel. However, the company awarded the tender made the IMM pay the hotel the 370,000 TL it was supposed to pay. At the time, IMM bureaucrats Ferrah Şarman, Hüseyin Eren, and Volkan Çakmak were charged with "abuse of office." On July 20, 2022, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office deemed prosecution unnecessary.
A criminal complaint was filed against municipal bureaucrats at the time, alleging corruption in the 2018 tender for "in-car camera and computer systems" held by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) subsidiary İSBAK. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a decision of "no prosecution" on April 24, 2024.
İSTAÇ SCHOLARSHIP FILEIn 2008, İSTAÇ, a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), sent Kubilay Kaya, Emine Acet Oğuz, Mevlüt Fatih Peker, Hacer Ak, Mustafa Hatipoğlu, and Fatih Hoşoğlu to various cities in the United States for master's and doctoral studies. These individuals received regular payments under the guise of study abroad scholarships. Although it was alleged that İSTAÇ executives at the time had caused damage to the municipality and committed the crime of breach of trust, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office closed this case on June 16, 2022.
YENİKAPI TENDERIt was stated that the municipal company İSTAÇ suffered losses through the Yenikapı Square Planning tender in 2013. On October 7, 2022, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office closed the case with a decision of "no prosecution" without even taking the statements of the municipal bureaucrats at the time.
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