Bolu Municipality Embezzlement Operation: Private Secretary Detained

Within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a large-scale operation was launched against the Bolu Municipality and its affiliated subsidiary companies. The operation, accompanied by heavy charges such as 'embezzlement' and 'laundering of assets derived from crime', was the topic of discussion throughout the day in the city. While numerous documents and digital materials were seized during the raids, the fate of Özgür Nihat Yıldız, who is at the center of the events and served as the General Manager of municipal companies and the Private Secretary, was awaited with curiosity.

With the 6th wave of operation initiated by gendarmerie teams on the morning of July 1 within the scope of the investigation, judicial action was taken against a total of 12 suspects, including high-level managers. Among those detained were Özgür Nihat Yıldız alongside personnel working in municipal subsidiaries such as İ.Ç., O.Ö., S.G., V.Y., S.G., Y.G., İ.G., D.M. and A.K. In detailed searches conducted at the suspects' homes and offices in the municipal service building, numerous documents and digital data believed to shed light on the crime scene were examined by security officers and taken into custody.

While the process of taking statements continued, the investigation deepened on July 2 and gendarmerie teams called two more people for statements. With this development, the total number of suspects within the scope of the operation rose to 12. The 12 suspects, whose procedures at the Provincial Gendarmerie Command were completed, were referred to the courthouse with the prepared indictments. At the prosecutor's interrogation, another stage of the justice process, the suspects were enabled to give their defenses against the accusations and make statements regarding the incident.

Out of the 12 suspects whose statements were taken by the prosecutor, 3 were released after the completion of their procedures without facing a court decision at this stage. The remaining 9 suspects were brought before the on-duty court to evaluate their release requests. As a result of the trial conducted by the court, it was decided to release 8 suspects under judicial control conditions, while all eyes turned to the situation of the most important suspect, Private Secretary Özgür Nihat Yıldız.

Özgür Nihat Yıldız, who is the central figure of the investigation and holds an effective position in the municipal bureaucracy, was ruled to be detained by the on-duty peace magistrate for 'embezzlement' and 'laundering of assets derived from crime' crimes. In light of the evidence and concrete findings evaluated by the court, it was decided to restrict Yıldız's freedom and send him to prison. With this decision marking the first detention in the high-profile corruption file at Bolu Municipality, it found wide repercussions in local politics and public opinion.