Specialist sergeant Musa O. not arrested again for 'sexual assault'

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Specialist sergeant Musa O. had his second hearing yesterday (February 25) for sexually assaulting İpek Er, 18, and causing her death by driving her to suicide in the southeastern Batman province.

Family members of İpek Er, witness Sadullah Kars, and attorneys from Batman Bar Association, the Human Rights Association (İHD) and the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) attended the hearing.

Musa O. and his attorneys joined the hearing via videoconference with the defendant using his right to remain silent.

Witness Sadullah Kars said İpek checked in their hotel and stayed alone for three days in May 2020.

He said that İpek Er used his phone to speak with someone and a person whom she spoke to came to the hotel with a car and picked her up. The person was a middle-aged man and was not the person whose pictures circulated on social media, he added.

When asked by a defense attorney whether İpek told him who was her fiance, he said, "İpek Er told me that her fiance was a specialist sergeant and was on duty in Pervari [Siirt]."

Citing the witness' testimony, plaintiff attorneys requested the arrest of Musa O. whereas the prosecutor said the trial of him should continue without an arrest as there were "no criminal elements."

The court rejected the request for the defendant's arrest.

What happened?

It was revealed in mid-July that specialist sergeant Musa O. had abducted and raped İ.E. for 20 days.

İ.E. attempted suicide, leaving a letter behind about what happened.

She lost her life on August 18, in the hospital where she had been treated since July 16.

After finding İ.E.' s letter, her family filed a complaint against Musa O, who was detained on the same day.

The Siirt Chief Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation against Musa O. for "qualified sexual assault."

Appearing before the court on July 16, Musa O. was released upon judicial control measures. He denied having sexual intercourse and said that he was "drunk" on the day of the incident.

After public outrage on social media following İ.E.'s death, Musa O. was remanded in custody on August 19 but released one week later. (EMK/VK)