Fifteen people, including two former mayors, arrested in corruption case in Turkey

Fifteen people have been arrested in Turkey's Kırıkkale province as part of a large-scale anti-corruption investigation into the municipality of Yahşihan.

Those taken into custody include the city's former heads — Ahmet Sungur, a representative of the ruling Justice and Development Party, and Osman Türkyılmaz, a member of the Nationalist Movement Party.

The operation, which covered four Turkish provinces, was initiated by the Kırıkkale prosecutor's office. On September 24, detention warrants were issued for 37 people, including, in addition to the former mayors, deputy heads of the municipality, city council members, administration employees, and local businessmen. During simultaneous raids by security forces, 35 suspects were detained. Of them, 15 suspects were arrested, the court ordered house arrest for 2 people, and 18 suspects were released under judicial control. A decision on judicial control was also issued with respect to one more person involved in the case, who is already serving a sentence in a penitentiary institution in another case. Law enforcement agencies are currently continuing the search for one more suspect who is hiding from the investigation.

The investigation is being conducted under a number of serious articles of Turkey's Criminal Code. The suspects are charged with: establishing and participating in a criminal organization for the purpose of committing crimes; taking bribes and extortion; rigging tenders; and fraud to the detriment of state institutions and organizations.

Source: Haberler