Court Expected to Announce its Verdict in Şule Çet Case on December 4

* Photo: sendika.org

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The fifth hearing of the lawsuit filed into the suspicious death of Şule Çet was held at the Ankara 31st Heavy Penal Court today (November 20).

University student Şule Çet suspiciously lost her life after falling off the 20th floor of a high-rise building in Ankara on May 29, 2018. Defendants Çağatay Aksu and Berk Akand have been facing aggravated life sentence on charges of "murder", "sexual assault" and "false imprisonment".

In the fifth hearing today, the Prosecutor's Office announced its opinion as to the accusations, demanding that defendant Aksu be tried on charge of "willful murder" and penalized for "sexual assault" and defendant Akand be penalized for "aiding" and "willful murder".

After the Prosecutor's Office announced its opinion, the court board has ruled that the arrest of defendants Aksu and Akand shall continue. The next hearing of the case will be held on December 4. The court is expected to announce its ruling in that hearing.

Criminal complaint against 141-page report

Today's hearing was attended by arrested defendants Aksu and Akand, Şule Çet's father İsmail Çet and her relatives as well as the attorneys of Çet family, the defendants and the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services, which has involved in the case.

As reported by Burcu Yıldırım from daily BirGün, women's organizations met in front of the courthouse before the hearing. Opening banners, women said, "We demand real justice, not male justice" and "Raise you voice for justice."

The organizations also announced that they would file a criminal complaint against the 141-page report prepared by the families of the defendants, allegedly to be sent to the MPs of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

CLICK - Journalists Following Şule Çet Case Targeted

The report in question has targeted the lawyers of Çet family as well as journalists, MPs, and women's rights defenders following and reporting on the suspicious death of Şule Çet.

Çet's ex-boyfriend heard as witness

Muhammet Furkan, the ex-boyfriend of Şule Çet, was heard as a witness. Furkan said that they were together for 1.5 years and added:

"When she came to my office 3-4 days before her death, she told me that she would meet her former bosses. We talked on the phone on the day of incident. I did not know what she would do that day, not because she hided it, but because I did not ask her... She told me that before.

"Next day, I heard about her death. I met her face to face 3 or 4 days before the incident. I say that because there are allegations of defendants' attorneys. I say that in shame... Our last sexual intercourse was 8-9 days before that. And, I, again, say it in shame... We did not have anal sex. She was in good spirits. They had just painted their house, she was happy about it. There were no antidepressants that she used regularly. She was very cheerful in our last meeting. We were very happy."

After Furkan said that it was revealed that the incident was murder and rape, İskender Pala, the attorney of Akand, told him, "Several people attended the hearing, you did not come. Was it because you did not want to look the defendants in the face?". Furkan answered, "No, I did not want to look."

Letters of defendants revealed

Onur Tatar, the attorney of Çet family, said that a letter was delivered to them by the attorneys of defendants before the hearing: "The letters were allegedly addressed by Çağatay Aksu to Berk Akand, who faces the same charges. Çağatay Aksu and Berk Akand should look at the letters."

After uttering these remarks, attorney Tatar turned to defendant Çağatay Aksu and said, "In one of your letters, you told Berk Akand 'We will either keep clear together, or we will be ruined.' Why did you say that?"

Aksu answered, "It is obvious from the fact that we are put on trial here. I said it as a result of that. It is quite normal that I said it."

When attorney Tatar stated, "It is said that the DNA of defendants was found under nine of ten fingernails of Şule Çet", the attorney of defendants protested. A brief row ensued between the attorneys."

Çağatay Aksu said, "My DNA was not found there. He is lying."

Umur Yıldırım, an attorney of Çet family, also said that all phone call records between witness Pınar Turgut and Berk Akand had been deleted.

Prosecutor's Office announced its opinion

The Prosecutor's Office announced its opinion as to the accusations. The Office requested that defendant Çağatay Aksu be put on trial on charge of "willful murder" and penalized for "sexual assault". It also requested that Berk Akand, the other defendant, be penalized for "aiding" and "willful murder".

Next hearing on December 4

After the prosecutor announced the opinion as to the accusations, the court board has ruled that the arrest of defendants Çağatay Aksu and Berk Akand shall continue. The next hearing of the case will be held on December 4. It is expected that the court board will pronounce its verdict in this hearing. (EMK/SD)