Defendant Ali Nuhoğlu made a defense in the 'Imamoğlu criminal organization for profit' case

Defendant Nuhoğlu, who made his defense at the hearing held by the Istanbul 33rd High Criminal Court in the hall opposite the Marmara Closed Penal Institution, spoke about the Sultangazi Cebeci casting site and stated that the casting works have a complex structure and that it is not right for such activities to be carried out by a single person in a big city like Istanbul.

Arguing that more appropriate results could be achieved in terms of public interest if the process was managed by İSFALT, Nuhoğlu said, "Maybe if İSFALT had managed this process completely, a much more logical process would have emerged for the public benefit. I do not defend any side of this process and I do not find it right. The work done there is wrong. So, while 22 people are being tried here, I see there are friends who have nothing to do with it in that structure. But everyone knows there, namely İbrahim Bülbüllü, Fatih Keleş, Murat Gülibrahimoğlu. These three friends are the main initiative here." he said.

Nuhoğlu, who claimed that wrong operations were carried out due to the absence of technical personnel in the process and the lack of knowledge of the legislation, made the following statement: "I have never been involved in that mistake. From now on, I will not be a part of it. It is a tender made on a matter related to the work there. It is determined on the spot. Now, when an expert is sent, when you look at it in a way, all of those works have been done and delivered according to the figures. In fact, what do they say there, in market terms, if we were in a goygoy, it is a job cut at 64 percent. In other words, a job is cut at 64 percent. In this way, if there were such cataholic movie-type things, you would do it, you could push it, you would get it to 100 percent, you would get a 20 percent increase in discovery. Since they were fighting about Cebeci, this was reflected in me in some way, and this friend Murat had a nature of fighting with everyone.

Nuhoğlu stated that there were also issues not related to him in the file on which he was tried, and that the main reason why it came to the agenda in public was the villas in Sarıyer, and said: "With the knowledge of Ekrem İmamoğlu, as Tuncay Yılmaz said in 2020, that is, perhaps the mayor next to them is making a place for himself. They came up with a fiction in which they acted within the logic of taking the place next to them. I do not want to go into too much detail because of this. I mean, because it is an unpleasant conversation. There is information in the file, everything. When we came to 2024, Tuncay Yılmaz came to me regarding the transfer of this issue and said, 'Brother, we need to transfer these villas.' he said. I said, Tuncay, look, an ambitious policy is being made here. That's not right. We are experiencing losses related to this business. It doesn't seem right to do such a thing. Actually, I kept Tuncay Yılmaz busy for a month, two months. Then he came and said, 'Brother, I think the same as you. So I don't find it right either.' But I understood that they had a plan for that place as a family. So it's like organizing family life there."

Defendant Nuhoğlu continued his defense as follows: "When they have such extreme insistence at the end of the year, the election period of 2024 should be in March. That is, a month ago. In other words, it is a company transfer, nothing will happen. Besides, I do not think it is right for them to think about such a thing at that stage or to be involved in such a thing. In other words, as soon as the price is paid, it is a separate event. Such a way of thinking emerged in me as something that should not have happened at that stage, and I think so. Then, as it was given to the public, it is zero, it is free." "It's a two-sided thing. It's right to go by the truth of the matter. No matter what anyone says, when you look at the MASAK reports, it's obvious. What does it look like? 48 million, 33 million of which is a 6 plus 1 villa in Beylikdüzü and 15 million current payments. This is the summary of this, my president."

CROSS-EXAMINATION OF DEFENDANT NUHOĞLU

After the defendant Nuhoğlu completed his defense, the question-answer session began.

When the public prosecutor asked with whose request he bought the two villas in Sarıyer, Nuhoğlu said: "Tuncay Yılmaz." he said.

The prosecutor said, "You said this in your statement: 'Tuncay Yılmaz called me with İmamoğlu's knowledge about the purchase. He told me that we want to buy this place from İmamoğlu. Our cash situation is not suitable at the moment.' Is this true?" When asked, Ali Nuhoğlu said, "It is true." he replied.

When the prosecutor asked about the source of the money during the purchase of the villas, Nuhoğlu said, "It is already in the MASAK reports, dear prosecutor. It is the money coming from İSKİ." he replied.

When the prosecutor asked whether the source of the money he invested for the purchase of two villas was his receivables from İSKİ, Nuhoğlu said, "After all, we were due to receive very high compensation from İSKİ there. In other words, this is money given in return for the work we did." He replied:

When asked by the prosecutor whether it was true that he received 31 million lira for the purchase of the villa, Nuhoğlu said, "Yes, I received 31 million lira." he said. Nuhoğlu stated that he later met with Ekrem İmamoğlu and conveyed his thoughts on the issue to him.

The prosecutor asked, "Is it true that Mr. Ekrem has knowledge of all the processes?" To the question, Nuhoğlu said, "Ekrem Bey has knowledge, yes." he replied.

Nuhoğlu explained that the process regarding the 87 million lira debt recognition agreement was also followed by his lawyer, and Mehmet Pehlivan was involved in the legal process after the agreement was prepared.

Claiming that he did not give Pehlivan any information about the content of the contract and did not meet with him on this issue, Nuhoğlu claimed that the value of the villas sold, determined as 480 million lira in the expert report, was high.

Stating that the real value of the real estate should be determined by an expert, Nuhoğlu noted that the two villas in question are approximately 20-25 years old and that if the third villa is purchased, construction can be carried out on a parcel basis.

Nuhoğlu confirmed the process conveyed by the prosecutor regarding the transfer of the villas he purchased with the receivables collected from İSKİ to people connected to İmamoğlu İnşaat and the arrangement of a debt recognition agreement worth 87 million lira in this process.

Upon the prosecutor's question whether the transfer of the villas, which were valued at 480 million liras in the expert report, for 48 million liras, was a commercial transaction or a bribe, the defendant Nuhoğlu said, "There must be a profit in trade. It cannot be called a complete trade." he replied.

Stating that IMM experienced serious financial difficulties in 2019-2024, that it sometimes took 10-11 months to collect its receivables from İSKİ, and that his company had to provide financing with high interest rates in order to continue its activities, Nuhoğlu argued that he had to use some of his relationships in order to avoid problems in payments and relations with the administration.

When the prosecutor asked "whether the villa transfer was done in order to keep good relations with the municipality," Nuhoğlu said, "Of course, in order to keep good relations." he replied.

When asked about his statement that he paid approximately 4.8 million dollars to Fatih Keleş and that this payment traffic was carried out by Keleş on behalf of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Nuhoğlu stated that they had problems in collecting their receivables due to the economic difficulties experienced by the municipality.

Explaining that they met with Keleş at regular intervals in order to get support regarding payments, Nuhoğlu said that the person who followed this process was Keleş.

When the hearing prosecutor asked whether Keleş was carrying out this duty in his official capacity or upon the appointment of İmamoğlu, Nuhoğlu said, "Yes." he replied.

"HE WAS ACTING IN A POSITION THAT CONSIDERED HIMSELF A LITTLE ABOVE THE INSTITUTIONS"

When the hearing prosecutor asked Murat Gülibrahimoğlu to explain his statements regarding his relationship with Fatih Keleş and İbrahim Bülbüllü regarding the casting site in Cebeci, Nuhoğlu said: "Actually, I detailed it a little in my statement about Cebeci. Maybe when you look at all the faulty transactions made in the Metropolitan Municipality, it is a large organization, there are always deficiencies and mistakes. But the Cebeci issue, that is, whether these friends surrendered to a person like Murat Gülibrahimoğlu." I can say that it was a big mistake for them to create a system based on it, that is, to bypass the two main institutions of the municipality, especially when İSFALT and İSTAÇ were there, and to drag the municipality into a system that would cause this much trouble."

In response to the prosecutor's question about Fatih Keleş's activities in the Cebeci casting site, Nuhoğlu made the following statement: "This is an issue related to the Cebeci casting site, in which I have never directly intervened. How do I know about that place? Of course, Murat Gülibrahimoğlu had a strong position and power while using those resources there. They had serious problems with the quarries there. Since we are from the Black Sea region, since we are doing construction work now, people who come face to face with Murat are sometimes at work. There are honorable people there, there are Captains, there are Erins. So he acted like a government project and started to convey it to people. But he actually had problems with all the people there.

When the hearing prosecutor asked whether the person in question was Murat Gülibrahimoğlu, Nuhoğlu said, "Of course, because I think his main goal was to achieve monopolization in Istanbul. I mean, excavation, marine waste, works in Cebeci, even down to the asphalt. In other words, he was a friend who knew no boundaries, but the public side had to rein him in. If the right things had happened, he would have come here and explained himself somehow." he said.

When the prosecutor asked on whose behalf Fatih Keleş exercised his authority in the Cebeci dump site, Nuhoğlu said, "Ekrem Bey's advisor, Fatih Bey." he replied. Nuhoğlu responded to the question of whether Ekrem İmamoğlu had knowledge of the processes carried out by Keleş and said, "Of course, it can happen to the president, it cannot happen without the knowledge of the president." he replied.

Recalling the prosecutor's statements made on different dates, Nuhoğlu said, "So, to whom did you send the total of 4.8 million dollars that you mentioned?" To the question he asked: "To Fatih Keleş." he replied.

When the hearing prosecutor asked him whether he felt pressure that his business would be in trouble if he did not make the $4.8 million payment or transfer the villas, Nuhoğlu said, "So you are forced to engage in such things to solve your business in an economic impasse or a major crisis. That's the summary." he said.

Nuhoğlu claimed that Murat Gülibrahimoğlu put pressure on the bureaucrats by using his public power and his relations in the municipality. The hearing prosecutor asked, "What kind of pressure?" To the question, Nuhoğlu said, "He was acting in a position that saw himself above institutions. In other words, he scolded the municipal bureaucrats, shouted at them, and fired them at the meeting." he replied.

Thereupon, the hearing prosecutor asked, "Did he get this power from Fatih Keleş in this process?" Nuhoğlu answered the question: "Of course, Fatih was giving him credit." he replied.

QUESTION AND ANSWER BETWEEN İMAMOĞLU AND UNARRESTED DEFENDANT ALİ NUHOĞLU

Defendant Ekrem İmamoğlu asked for an explanation regarding Nuhoğlu's previous statements such as "we could have increased the work, which was 60 percent completed, to 100 percent by being a fool."

Nuhoğlu argued that his words had nothing to do with İmamoğlu and said, "What I meant there was this. It is normally related to this work done on the ISFALT front, so when you say goygoy, what is goygoy? They are systems where you pretend to have happened on things that do not exist and collect collections for them. So, I said there is no such thing there." he said.

İmamoğlu's question: "Would such a thing happen in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality?" To the question, Nuhoğlu said, "It is a corporate place in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Normally such a thing does not happen in Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality." he replied.

When İmamoğlu persistently asked whether he had witnessed such a situation in the municipality, Nuhoğlu said, "Everyone who signs in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality bears the responsibility of their own signature. Even if they are a very private person." he said. When İmamoğlu repeated his question, Nuhoğlu said, "I answer. No. It was like this in the past too." he said.

Ekrem İmamoğlu stated that it has been talked about in the media for 1.5 years that he bought 3 houses, and when asked how many houses the company of which he is a partner bought from him, Nuhoğlu said, "2." he replied.

İmamoğlu said, "Therefore, a trade was made with you and a return for this trade was made. So, did my company, of which I am a partner, receive any compensation from you for these two houses, Mr. Ali?" When asked, Nuhoğlu said, "No, we agreed." He replied:

Thereupon, the defendant İmamoğlu said, "Is this trade? You know, both profits and losses are made in trade." he said. The unarrested defendant Nuhoğlu said, "I did not make any profit in this business. I would like to state that." he said.

To the court president's question about whether the transfer of the villa was a commercial transaction and how it should be characterized legally, Nuhoğlu said, "After all, the President of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality made such a request. We resisted. We experienced such a conviction at the end of the road. So, this is an issue that bothers me when I look back and ask whether we did the right thing." he replied.

When the presiding judge asked for what purpose he transferred the villas, Nuhoğlu stated that they were running two large-scale businesses. "Is it a reward for getting what you deserve? Is this how we will understand it?" To the question, Nuhoğlu said, "Of course. I mean, that issue is very important, in return for progress. In order to receive our payments periodically." he replied.