The third hearing has concluded in the case of Jeannah Dinabongho Ibouanga, a university student from Gabon, whose body was found near the Filyos River along the Zonguldak-Karabük road.
Despite the close attention given to the trial by Dina's family and Feminists for Dina, there has been very little progress.
Lawyers representing Dina’s family have demanded that the suspects from Han Apartment, where Dina was allegedly held by two men and a strand of her hair was found, be tried as defendants. They also requested an investigation of the apartment, but both requests have been denied.
Let me remind you that these two men, who were confirmed through witness testimony to have assaulted Dina, were not prosecuted. Additionally, a witness who claimed to have seen Dina in Dursun A.’s car has not been questioned, a glaring omission frequently pointed out by the attorneys.
The hearings have devolved into a repetitive cycle, with lawyers making demands, Dursun A.’s attorneys insisting that their client had no connection to whatever happened to Dina, and the court consistently denying the lawyers’ requests.
Dina's mother, Jessica Sandra Makemba Panga, is losing hope. At this point, the only change in court might be the release of Dursun A., which hasn't occurred yet due to public pressure.
If it hadn't been for Feminists for Dina and the Gabonese Ambassador attending the third hearing, even this lone defendant might have been released.
But who really cares? An African woman—a 17-year-old child, really—who legally came to Turkey to study has been murdered. Does the court care whether justice is served or the truth is revealed?
One significant detail came to light during this hearing, revealing why the case is progressing so slowly.
During the first hearing on November 8, 2023, lawyers requested a site inspection at the Filyos River bank where Dina's body was discovered. This request was accepted because the conditions during the inspection should match those of March 26, 2023, the day Dina died.
Following this decision, the court wrote to the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change to request weather information suitable for the inspection.
Unfortunately, the Ministry replied, "This isn't our responsibility; you should ask the Boğaziçi University Observatory."
So what did the court do? Surprisingly, it didn't contact the observatory. Instead, it didn't take any further steps.
In the latest hearing, Dina's lawyers repeatedly asked the presiding judge whether they would request this information from the observatory. The judge replied clearly, "No, it's not my responsibility."
The Ministry says, "Checking the weather is not our job; contact the observatory," and the court replies, "Requesting information from the observatory isn't our job."
This contradiction left me puzzled. A crucial task that could untangle this case remains unresolved, and the institutions involved keep passing the buck.
So, this is a two-steps-forward, three-steps-back process.
"It is approached like a criminal case"
Feminists for Dina released a statement following the hearing.
Rabia Gündoğmuş, one of the lawyers, commented:
"The Ministry's response is, 'Determining daylight conditions isn't my responsibility. Ask the Boğaziçi Observatory for this data.' But the court didn't write to them or request this information. Instead, it said, 'It's not our responsibility to write that letter.'"
According to Gündoğmuş, the court is treating this suspicious death like any other criminal case.
"But this is a case of femicide. It's a systematic, racially charged murder, and to clarify the incident, we need to investigate Dina's actions before she got into that car. But nothing has been done. They don't want to investigate the basement apartment. The people who disturbed Dina have not even been questioned, as they were dismissed from the case."
Answering all questions about Dina's suspicious death and deepening the investigation is crucial not only for Dina's family but also to reveal any connections between Dursun A. and other suspects.
Conducting investigations at Han Apartment and the Filyos River could help unravel the uncertainty in this case.
The truth must come to light, and Dina’s suspicious death must be resolved.
Wishing you all a free and fair week.
(EMK/VK)
