As part of the investigation into the death of former Transport Minister Arif Ahmet Denizolgun, who was found dead at his farm in Beykoz on 7 September 2016, a case was filed against Ayşe Gülderen Denizolgun Kuriş, the mother of Alihan Kuriş, and his brother Hilmi Tuna Kuriş. The indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office sought prison sentences of between 6 months and 5 years for each suspect for “destroying, concealing or altering criminal evidence.”
According to the indictment, the phone belonging to Denizolgun, which was taken from the scene and sent for examination, was handed over to Ayşe Gülderen Denizolgun Kuriş along with the estate property. The phone was taken to the house in Kısıklı by lawyer A.Ç. at the direction of Hilmi Tuna Kuriş and given to an employee. While Hilmi Tuna Kuriş admitted receiving the phone, it could not be located, and no technical or expert examination could be conducted on it after the incident. The indictment stated that the phone could contain important evidence in the murder investigation. The case was accepted by the Bakırköy Criminal Court of First Instance.
Why it matters
The central issue in the case is that one of the material bases of the investigation into how the death occurred can no longer be examined. The case filed does not directly identify those responsible for the death; it focuses on whether an item that could constitute evidence was preserved during the investigation. Therefore, the outcome of the trial could affect the defendants’ legal status regarding the accusation of destroying evidence, as well as the assessment of why information that could have been obtained from the phone could not be used in the main investigation. However, acceptance of the indictment does not mean that the crime has been established; the fate of the phone and the legal nature of the defendants’ actions will become clear during the court proceedings.