Ertan Yıldız to testify for first time at İBB trial's 69th hearing in Silivri
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Ertan Yıldız, a key cooperating witness in the İBB trial, is set to testify for the first time at the 69th hearing on August 25, 2026, at the Silivri courthouse. The hearing will continue with defense statements from non-detained defendants, including Yıldız and his driver Bayram Yıldırım. The session follows a tense morning in which prosecutors sought a criminal complaint against Ekrem İmamoğlu's father, Hasan İmamoğlu, over money laundering allegations.
Key Facts
- Ertan Yıldız, a former İBB subsidiaries manager and key cooperating witness, will testify for the first time at the 69th hearing of the İBB trial on August 25, 2026.
- The hearing is being held at the new courtroom built at the Marmara Closed Prison in Silivri by the Istanbul 33rd High Criminal Court.
- Prosecutors requested a criminal complaint against Hasan İmamoğlu for money laundering under 'Action 34' after his defense statement.
- Hasan İmamoğlu, father of Ekrem İmamoğlu, testified that he had a 60-year commercial history and that buying and selling apartments should not be a crime.
- Muzaffer Beyaz, a non-detained defendant, alleged that Bakırköy Municipality demanded a 5 million euro bribe for a parking lot permit at a shopping mall.
Ertan Yıldız's Testimony
Ertan Yıldız, a former İBB subsidiaries manager and key cooperating witness, is expected to testify for the first time at the 69th hearing of the İBB trial. Yıldız's cooperation statements have been cited as grounds for the detention of many individuals in the case. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, who was Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor at the time, described Yıldız's decision to become a confessor as a turning point in the İBB investigation. After the first recess, Ayhan Güveli will testify first, followed by Ertan Yıldız and his driver Bayram Yıldırım, who is also a cooperating witness.
Hasan İmamoğlu's Defense
Hasan İmamoğlu, father of Ekrem İmamoğlu, took the stand and stated that he had a 60-year commercial history and that buying and selling apartments should not be considered a crime. He said, 'In my commercial life, the most important thing is not to eat haram and not to feed haram to my children.' Hasan İmamoğlu criticized the charges related to four apartments in the case file, saying, 'I did not know that buying and selling apartments was prohibited. If I had known, we would not have bought them all our lives.' During his testimony, the prosecutor asked Hasan İmamoğlu whether he received cash from Tuncay Yılmaz, owner of İmamoğlu Construction, and then requested a criminal complaint against him for money laundering under 'Action 34'. Hasan İmamoğlu's lawyers reacted to the request, and three of his lawyers began their defense statements after the complaint was filed.
Other Testimony
Muzaffer Beyaz, a non-detained defendant, testified that Bakırköy Municipality demanded a 5 million euro bribe for a paid parking permit at a shopping mall where he was a partner. Beyaz said that after they refused the bribe, an administrative fine was imposed, but they were acquitted in the related case and the fine was canceled. He also stated that in October 2024, they filed a complaint with CİMER through an employee regarding the matter. Beyaz further alleged that in a Beylikdüzü project, the landowner demanded 20 million lira at the permit stage, and that Murat Çalık asked them to transfer four apartments to Hasan İmamoğlu.
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Ertan Yıldız to testify for first time at İBB trial's 69th hearing in Silivri
