Deputy intel chief faces charges for embezzlement

ANKARA - Hürriyet

An indictment has been prepared against a top intelligence officer by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s office on charges of unfair acquisition of goods and false declaration of property.

The indictment claims that National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Deputy Secretary Muhammed Dervişoğlu could not account for his 323,000 Turkish Lira expenditure, while his daughter Nazlı Dervişoğlu, who works in a law firm in workers’ insurance, was revealed to have a 751,000 lira monthly expenditure that she also could not account for. The prosecutor has asked for his dismissal from public office and a prison sentence of three to eight years.

Without PM’s permission

The chief public prosecutor’s office took action without asking for the prime ministry’s permission upon receiving intelligence sent via electronic media, as the charges were not related to the officer’s profession. The indictment was presented to the 4th High Criminal Court, which decided on a lack of subject-matter jurisdiction and transferred the case to the criminal court of first instance.
The indictment states that the suspect denied all charges, despite his expenditures totaling 1.4 million liras between 2006 and 2012. Given the amount of his revenues, his expenditures show an abnormal surplus, said the indictment.