türkçe links to original Turkish article
(Sözcü Newspaper, 19 September 2021)
Portrait of a tea addict.
Bahattin K., the head of the financial services office in the AKP (ruling
party) Samsun municipality, has been jailed after being caught red-handed
taking bribes. Building contractor Y.T. received extra or early payments
from the municipality thanks to Bahattin K. In return, Y.T. sent the bribe
money to Bahattin K. inside packages of tea (!) and paid for his vacation
expenses, too.
Bahattin K. started his career as an official in the Evci municipality in
Samsun's Terme district. After about 20 years in various jobs in different
district municipalities, Bahattin K. was brought into the Samsun
municipality by the newly-elected AKP Mayor Mustafa Demir.
As the director of financial services, Bahattin K. was caught red-handed
by police while taking a bribe from Y.T. on 22 December 2020. Both of
the suspects were jailed. In his statement, Bahattin K. asserted that the
30,000 TL (about $4,000) he got from Y.K. was a loan, not a bribe (!).
However, Y.K. admitted that he did, in fact, pay bribes to Bahattin K.
and a month later he was released from jail.
The public prosecutor prepared an indictment for both Bahattin K. and
Y.T., in regard to taking and giving bribes, as well as for laundering the
value of the money obtained criminally. But the court did not accept
the indictment and sent the file back to the prosecutor, who then pursued
a separate case against Bahattin K. for hiding the value of property
obtained criminally. A new indictment about the bribery matter was
accepted by the court.
According to the indictment, police surveilled Bahattin K. and Y.T.
technically and physically, determining that they met twice. On 23 October
2020, the two met at a café in İlkadım district, after which Y.T. put two
packages of tea into Bahattin K.'s car. The prosecutor alleged in the
indictment that the packages of tea contained the bribe money. The two
suspects met again on 21 December 2020 and as they chatted in
Bahattin K.'s car, tea packages containing 30,000 TL were seized by
police staking out the meeting. A search of the safe in Bahattin K.'s
office revealed tea packages filled with money.
Actually, a treasure trove of valuable items poured out from the safe in
Bahattin K. office. Inside tea packages police found 135,000 Euros,
36,000 TL, 5 kilograms of gold including a one-kilogram ingot, 13
special-issue gold coins, 75 full pieces of gold, 50 half pieces and 1,059
quarter pieces, 23 bank account books from various banks in the name
of himself and 8 other individuals, along with about 40 real estate deeds.
The bank accounts were blocked by the prosecutor.
Bahattin K. and Y.T.'s conversations were monitored by police and on
21 December 2020 Y.T. called Bahattin K., saying that he was in Samsun
and wanted to visit him. The two then met in front of a shopping center
after Bahattin K.'s work day ended:
Y.T.: your tea is in the car.
Bahattin K.: so nice of you.
Y.T.: tomorrow send me a 500. If you can, send a 600.
Bahattin K.: OK, I'll make it happen.
Y.T.: That would be great. There's 30,000 TL there, inside the thing.
Bahattin K.: OK
Y.T.: I'll probably come next week.
Bahattin K.: Let's say I can do a little better. In that case, would you be
a bit more supportive?
Y.T.: Yes, but when I come next week.
Also contained in the indictment was information about Bahattin K.
going on a vacation to İkizdere district in Rize province with his family
six days after this conversation occurred. Bahattin K. and his family
stayed at a hotel in İkizdere for three days. Y.K. made the reservation
and Bahattin K. left without paying. Two days later Y.T.'s construction
firm paid the 5,977 TL hotel bill.
Bahattin K. is being tried while in jail and faces a sentence of from
four to twelve years for bribery.
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