Court rejects request to open grave to see if murder verdict really killed himself in prison

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Münevver Karabulut's family does not believe that Cem Garipoğlu who murdered their daughter brutally 14 years ago while she was only a high school student committed suicide in prison. But their request that the grave should be opened was rejected for the second time.

Süreyya Karabulut, Münevver Karabulut's father is asserting that Garipoğlu, the convict, did not kill himself in prison, but escaped. His lawyer Rezan Epözdemir made an application 10 months ago for the grave to be opened, which was first rejected by the prosecutor's office which decided on non-prosecution.

Lawyer Epözdemir then made a criminal complaint, objecting to the decision of the prosecutor's office, at the higher tribunal.

The lawyer stated in his objection, "Cem Garipoğlu was in Metris No.1 T-Type prison serving his sentence but then he was transferred to the Silivri No.5 L-Type Prison. On October 10, 2014, there were reports in the media that he committed suicide. However, it is still uncertain if he committed suicide or if he escaped prison. Even if there is a grave for the related person and a dead body has been buried there, it is not certain that the dead body belonged to Cem Garipoğlu and there are many reports being circulated to the contrary."

"The decision by the Silivri Chief Prosecutor's Office for non-prosecution has hurt the public and the sense of justice as it is neglecting a legitimate request of a family who lost their daughter in a brutal murder."

However, this objection that Epözdemir made was rejected by the court which again ruled for a verdict of non-prosecution.

The family has this time applied to the Ministry of Justice. Epözdemir, the lawyer of the family announced that they have made an application to the Ministry for appeal for the sake of the law.

What happened?

On March 3, 2009, Karabulut's body was found in a trash bin in Istanbul's wealthy Etiler neighborhood with her head chopped off. Cem Garipoğlu, her boyfriend at the time and top suspect in the case, hid for 197 days.

On November 18, 2011, Bakırköy 4th High Criminal Court convicted Cem Garipoğlu of "planning to kill a child monstrously" and ordered him to serve 24 years of prison.

The court acquitted Nida Garipooğlu, the convict's father, from "aiding a premeditated murder". His family members Hayyam Garipoğlu, Ahmet Batur, Mehmet Karakayalı, and Habib Kurt were convicted of "favoring a criminal"; and his mother Tülay Makbule Garipoğlu of "obscuring evidence". They were ordered to serve 3 years in prison.

Cem Garipoğlu was reported to have committed suicide and died in prison in Silivri on October 10, 2014.

(EMK/PE)