Military prosecutor given 9 years in prison for ‘abuse of power’

ISTANBUL – Anatolia News Agency

An Istanbul court has sentenced former Air Forces Judicial Undersecretary Col. Ahmet Zeki Üçok to nine years and seven months in prison on charges of “issuing falsified medical reports” and “being a member of an illegal organization.”

Üçok is also a suspect under arrest in the coup-plot case Balyoz (Sledgehammer) and was previously found guilty over allegations of using “hypnosis and drugs” during the interrogation of noncommissioned officers (NCOs) in Kayseri.

Üçok said he retired a week ago from the Turkish military. The defense called for him to be released at the trial in the 11th Istanbul High Criminal Court yesterday. However the court found him guilty on charges of being a member of an illegal organization member and fraud.

The former military prosecutor was acquitted on some 52 allegations including “attempt to swag” against Fenerbahçe Sports Club chairman Aziz Yıldırım due to lack of evidence.

Another suspects in the case, Murat Tugay Tepe, who was convicted of being the leader of the illegal organization, was sentenced to 142 years and 11 months imprisonment and issued a warrant of arrest.

Businesswoman Sibel Fatma Çarmıklı and her son Murat Can Çarmıklı both were given 2 years and 6 months.

Another six suspects were acquitted in the case, which has run for a total of two and a half years.