Three arrested related to the murder of Afghan worker in illegally operated mine in Zonguldak

In the murder case of Afghan worker Vezir Muhammed Nourtani (50) employed in an illegal mine in the Kilimli district of Zonguldak, mine owners H.K., E.G., and worker A.A. were arrested. Six individuals had been taken into custody in relation to the event.

The three detainees blamed each other in their statements.

Claim: Murder to prevent discovery of illegal mine

In Zonguldak, it was claimed that 50-year-old Vezir Mohammad Nourtani, who fell ill while working in an illegally operated mine on November 10th, was murdered to prevent the discovery of the unauthorized operation of the workplace and the realization of his undocumented employment. It was alleged that his body was partially burned and moved to a distant location away from the mine site.

In the investigation, it was determined that the mine owners found the unconscious Nourtani in the mine, assaulted and killed him, and later burned his body. 

The suspects blame each other

According to Mustafa Özdemir's report in Gazete Duvar, H.K., the owner of the mine and also the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Gelik District President, stated in his testimony that he went to the mine upon receiving calls from the workers and saw Nourtani on a wagon outside the mine. H.K. claimed to have performed CPR on Nourtani but asserted that there was no pulse. He then claimed they put Nourtani in his vehicle to take him to the hospital, diverting onto a forest road due to his alleged state of intoxication.

The statement of H.K., the mine owner went on as follows: 

"Later, I stopped on a road to relieve myself. While I was doing so, E. and A. had already exited the car. Upon looking later, I saw a fire. I wanted to intervene but couldn't. Before that, I had bought gasoline for household use. I didn't see who poured the gasoline. I don't know. Anyway, A. had already said that he lit the match himself. E. was also there when I arrived at the fire. I did not make any request for the victim's clothes to be burned."

Another mine owner, E.G., stated that there was gasoline in the vehicle and claimed that in the forest, they brought Nourtani to the ground with three people. Gideroğlu asserted that he did not participate in the burning incident, alleging that the mine worker A.A., who worked in the mine, took the gasoline, saying, "I know what I'm going to do," but he mentioned that he did not see who lit the fire.

Employee A.A., contrary to the mine owners' claim, asserted that they obtained the gasoline from a gas station with H.K. and claimed that the idea to burn was his. He reported that the three of them took Nourtani out of the vehicle, H.K. poured the gasoline, and asked him to light the match: "H. asked me for gasoline. I brought the gasoline can. H. poured the gasoline on the Afghan. He told me to light the match. Following his instructions, I lit the fire with the match. This way, the Afghan started to burn. Later, the three of us returned to the scene with the vehicle," said A.A. 

(AS/PE)