Remarkable development in the ABB concert case: New report decision from the court

The hearing of the lawsuit filed alleging that public damage occurred in the expenses for the concerts organized by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) between 2021 and 2024 continued.

Some undetained defendants and party lawyers attended the hearing held at Ankara 34th High Criminal Court.

The presiding judge announced that a new expert report had been received in the file. The lawyers of the parties stated that they submitted their written statements regarding the report to the court.

PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL EXPERT REPORT

The public prosecutor, whose opinion was asked at the hearing, requested the continuation of judicial control measures against the defendants.

The prosecutor also requested that an additional expert report be obtained in order to eliminate the contradictions between the expert reports prepared during the investigation and prosecution stages.

The defendant's lawyers stated that they agreed with the existing expert report and argued that obtaining a new report would prolong the trial.

LAWYERS: "THERE WAS NO PUBLIC HARM"

The defendant's lawyers stated that the final expert report found that the concerts were held in accordance with market prices and that no public damage was caused.

For this reason, the lawyers demanded that no additional expert report be obtained, that the judicial control measures against the defendants be lifted, and that the file be sent to the public prosecutor for the preparation of the opinion on the merits.

SOME JUDICIAL CONTROL MEASURES OF THE 3 DEFENDANTS WERE REMOVED

Announcing its interim decision after the statements, the court ordered an additional report to be taken to resolve the contradictions between the expert reports.

The court lifted some judicial control measures against the defendants Hacı Ali Bozkurt, Onur Evren and Selahattin Çelikkaya.

It was decided to continue the travel bans imposed on the three defendants.

The hearing was postponed to December 16.

WHAT HAPPENED?

In the investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was claimed that a public loss of 154 million 453 thousand 221 Turkish Liras and 60 kuruş occurred in ABB's 32 concert service purchases between 2021 and 2024.

Following the investigation, a lawsuit was filed against 14 people.

In the indictment, a prison sentence of up to 31 years and 6 months was requested for 8 defendants, including former ABB Cultural and Social Affairs Department Head Hacı Ali Bozkurt, on the charge of "qualified embezzlement in a chain".

Prison sentences of up to 18 years were requested for the other 6 defendants on the charge of "qualified embezzlement".