Chief judge to testify as witness
ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency
Former Justice Minister Seyfi Oktay is one of the 11 suspects in the case. DHA Photo
The court delegation overseeing the case against 11 suspects, including former Justice Minister Seyfi Oktay, on the charge of “attempting to influence the Ergenekon trial and investigation” has called chief judge Köksal Şengün to testify as a witness.Former Justice Minister Oktay’s lawyer, Ahmet Kurtuluş, has issued the request for Chief Justice Köksal, who formerly presided over the Ergenekon trial, to be called in to testify as a witness.
The court delegation subsequently accepted the request and issued a directive to the Bolu Court of Serious Crimes, where Chief Justice Köksal is currently located, according to reports.
The court has turned down another request by the former justice minister’s lawyer for phone records to be removed from the file, however. The trial is set to continue on June 20 and 21.
The indictment seeks jail time for 11 suspects, including Oktay and Nihan Atasagun, nephew of former President Süleyman Demirel, on accusations of “attempting to influence the course of justice.” The suspects were alleged to have engaged in “judiciary structuring,” attempting to directly place Ergenekon members in positions in the judiciary.
