Nesrin Aslan: İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Should Say, ‘We Killed İdil’

* It is not an accident, but murder

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The seventh hearing has been held in the case of Şule İdil Dere, who lost her life after being hit by the earth-moving truck of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality while taking a walk in Yoğurtçu Park in Kadıköy, İstanbul.

In the hearing which was held at the 57th Penal Court of First Instance in İstanbul Anatolian Courthouse in Kartal today (January 4), the court board rejected the requests of the attorneys for the pronouncement of the verdict and ruled that the next hearing shall be adjourned to April 10, 2019 so that a new expert report could be prepared.

Five expert reports have been prepared so far as part of the lawsuit. In all five reports, not Şule İdil Dere, but the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality has been referred to as the negligent party.

In the last expert report, it was stated that five defendants, including the driver of the truck Mümin Kılıç, were primarily negligent and one defendant was collaterally negligent. The report also indicated that Dere and defendant Teyfur Bingöl were not negligent.

Nesrin Aslan: I am the expert

In the hearing, it was seen that the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality responded to the writ which was submitted to it in the previous hearing.

The Municipality claimed that as per the technical specifications of the tender bid, the contractor company shall be held accountable for all types of accidents and damages. It was also stated that there are no assignment letters issued for the defendants tried in the case.

While the attorneys and family of Dere did not accept the matters raised against them in the response of the municipality, her mother Nesrin Aslan said, "İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality means my loss of my daughter. The municipality should write, 'We killed İdil, we committed a murder.' I am the expert, the public is the expert. They should ask me, I don't accept it."

Defendants' attorneys requested a new expert report

The attorneys of the defendants also made their statements in the hearing. Stating that they did not accept the matters raised against them in the response of the municipality, the attorneys objected to the previous expert reports and requested the issuance of a new one.

Court: Expert reports are contradictory

Pronouncing its interlocutory judgement, the court board ruled that a new expert report shall be prepared on the ground that there are contradictions in the previous reports and adjourned the hearing to April 10, 2019.

In the lawsuit filed regarding the death of Şule İdil Dere, the indictment was approved 17 months after the incident. In the indictment, İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality has been held accountable as the main employer and İSTAÇ Corp. as the contractor company.

Being tried without arrest, seven defendants, including the driver of the truck which caused the death of Dere, face 2 to 6 years in prison. (TP/SD)