1 person died and 147 people were poisoned: Decision on the drinking water disaster in Bolu after 4 years!

The case heard at the Bolu 2nd High Criminal Court regarding the drinking water poisoning incident that occurred in Bolu's Yuva village in July 2022 was decided.

The Special Provincial Administration Water and Canal Services Director M.A.A., the then Provincial Health Directorate Public Health Services Head Ü.B., and the village headman M.E., who were tried without arrest, attended the hearing. and nurse B.K. attended.

Relatives of Eyüp Ertem, who lost his life in the incident, and lawyers of the parties were also present at the hearing.

While the complainants wanted the defendants to be punished in the most severe way, the defendants denied the accusations and demanded their acquittal.

Ü.B., then Head of Public Health Services of the Provincial Health Directorate, argued that he was on annual leave at the time of the incident and therefore could not follow the laboratory results.

Stating that he returned to his duty after patients started to apply to health institutions, Ü.B. said that he made inspections in the village and the water tank.

Village headman M.E. He stated that he has been working since 2014, that the water tanks have been cleaned and that four neighborhoods benefit from the same tank.

Special Provincial Administration Water and Canal Services Manager M.A.A. He also claimed that muhtars are responsible for the maintenance and cleaning of drinking water tanks.

Announcing its decision after the defenses, the court sentenced the village headman M.E. to 6 years and 8 months in prison for "negligently causing the death of one person and the injury of more than one person".

The court also banned M.E. from performing his duties for 2 years.

Ü.B., then Head of Public Health Services of the Provincial Health Directorate, was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison for "causing injury to more than one person".

Ü.B. was also banned from holding public office for 1 year.

Defendants M.A.A., F.İ. and B.K. were sentenced to 1 year and 10 months in prison for "neglect of duty".

The court decided to postpone the announcement of the verdict (HAGB) for these three defendants.

On the other hand, the court panel requested that the person who substituted Ü.B. during his annual leave be determined.

It was decided to file a criminal complaint against the person in question to the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for the crime of causing the death of Eyüp Ertem.

In July 2022, 148 people, including children, applied to hospitals with complaints of nausea and vomiting due to poisoning caused by drinking water in Bolu's Yuva village.

While Eyüp Ertem, who was affected by poisoning, died, 147 people were discharged after their treatment.

Some patients who were referred to various hospitals in Ankara were diagnosed with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is accompanied by anemia and acute renal failure.

In the investigations, it was determined that Eyüp Ertem died due to an infection caused by coliform bacteria detected in the mains water.

In the indictment prepared regarding the incident, a prison sentence of 2 to 15 years was requested for three defendants, and a prison sentence of 3 months to 1 year for two nurses.