Tanju Özcan sentenced to 7 years, 3 months and 15 days in prison

The verdict was announced in the case where 19 defendants, including Tanju Özcan, who was suspended from his duty as mayor within the scope of the "extortion" investigation against Bolu Municipality, were tried.

The detained defendant Özcan and Suleyman Can, who was suspended from his post as deputy mayor, attended the hearing held by the Bolu 3rd High Criminal Court at the Bolu Social Sciences High School Sports Hall, from prison via the Audio and Video Information System.

Arrested defendants, former BolSev manager Ali Sarıyıldız and former Bolu Köroğlu Tradesmen and Craftsmen Credit Guarantee Cooperative and Bolu Greengrocers Marketers Tradesmen Chamber President Mustafa Altındal, as well as unarrested defendants, complainants and party lawyers were present in the hall.

Detained defendants Süleyman Can, Ali Sarıyıldız and Mustafa Altındal made their defense against the opinion on the merits.

Defendant Can stated that he worked in various units in the municipality for 31 years and became a council member to serve Bolu after his retirement, and argued that he met with market officials but did not pressure anyone regarding advertising or donations.

Claiming that he did not receive instructions from Tanju Özcan, did not give instructions to other units of the municipality and did not receive money from the complainant N.G. regarding the license issue, Can said that he would not engage in politics if he was released.

Sarıyıldız, on the other hand, argued that he could not commit the crime of "extortion by force" because he was not a public official, and claimed that he did not attend the meeting regarding the markets and that he only acted as an intermediary between the companies and the municipality during the signing of advertising contracts.

Source: TRT Haber Açık RSS (Gündem) (Open Press / Translated Full Text)