‘No fraud, organized crime’ in Lighthouse probe

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Sincan’s 1st Court for Serious Crimes rejected the objection to the non-prosecution verdict of Ankara Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the Deniz Feneri (Lighthouse) charity embezzlement case yesterday. With this decision, it has been confirmed that organized crime and fraud were not found in the Lighthouse case.

The prosecutors Nadi Türkaslan, Abdulvahap Yaren and Mehmet Tamöz charged the suspects, including former head of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) Zahid Akman and private channel Kanal 7 board chairman Zekeriya Karaman, with “forming a benefit-oriented organization” and “fraud.” The prosecutors were taken from duty in the inquiry of relations between Turkey and the Lighthouse e.v. case held in Germany. 

New prosecutors taking office later decided on an additional verdict of non-prosecution for organized crime and fraud in the indictment they issued for the suspects. Upon this decision, Tacim Coşgun, the lawyer of one of the complainants Sadık Deniz, objected to the verdict of non-prosecution. Sincan’s 1st Court for Serious Crimes examined the file and rejected the objection to the verdict of non-prosecution. 

After Sincan’s 1st Court for Serious Crimes announced there was no fraud or organized crime in the file, the decision was concluded. However, the Lighthouse case file, which consists of 308 folders, was sent to the Istanbul Court for Serious Crimes due to the rejection of venue decision by Ankara 3rd Heavy Penal Court. If the Istanbul Court for Serious Crimes gives the same verdict, the Court of Appeals will decide which court will be responsible for ruling on the case.