"Beat & Release": He Called in Sick from the Beach, His Next Call May be from Jail, in Konya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 27 March 2023)

Sait U. taking his "COVID medicine" as nurse writes his

beach blanket bingo pass. 

In Konya last July, Sait U., who works in a private rehabilitation center,

told his boss Mehmet Evrim that he was ill and couldn't come to work,

sending Evrim a medical report that excused him from working for 4

days.  When Sait U. refused Evrim's offer to visit him at the "hospital"

or his home, the boss became suspicious.  

Evrim found out that Sait U. had never gone to Çumra State Hospital,

although he claimed that's where his medical report came from, and, in

fact, Sait U. posted photos of himself on the beach at Mersin on social

media (!).  This prompted Evrim to file a criminal complaint against 

Sait U., whose employment was terminated.  

In the Konya public prosecutor's investigation, statements were 

requested from nurse Esra T., Dr. Ömer Tayyip Ç. and physiotherapist

Sait U., who stated that "on the day in question I had a bad case of 

diarrhea and I was vomiting.  I thought I might have COVID so I 

called my boss and said I couldn't come to work.  Then I called nurse

Esra, who told me to come to the hospital but I said that if I came I

might give her COVID so, instead, I asked her to give me a 4-day

medical excuse report.  Esra said I should have a COVID test done and

that she would talk to a doctor.  Nevertheless, an hour later she sent me 

the report.  I felt better so I didn't get the COVID test done.  When the 

report expired I went back to work. I didn't know what I did was a 

crime." (!) 

In his statement, Dr. Ömer Tayyıp Ç. said, "I don't know Sait U. and

never examined him, nor did I give him a report.  Because nurse Esra's

husband is a friend of  Sait U.'s, she told me that she prepared the report

and sent it to him."

As for nurse Esra, she stated that "on the day in question my husband's

friend Sait U. called me and said he needed a 4-day medical excuse

report.  I spoke with Dr. Ömer Tayyıp Ç. about this and when he gave

the OK I sent the report.  The doctor knew about it and I used his 

signature seal." 

         BEWARE! You're always under surveillance!

In the course of the investigation, visual and voice evidence was taken

from the hospital and it was determined that nurse Esra had indeed 

gotten the OK from Dr. Ömer Tayyıp Ç.  However, the investigation 

also showed that the three times that Sait U. called nurse Esra that day

he called her from Mersin. (!)

In the prosecutor's indictment, a sentence of up to 15 years is requested 

for Sait U. for "fraud" and "being a partner in falsifying an official

document by a state worker".  As for nurse Esra and Dr. Ömer Tayyıp Ç.,

the prosecutor asked for up to 11 years in jail for each of them for 

"misuse of their authority and falsifying an official document".  The

trial for all three will begin on 5 September 2023.