Cyprus Mail
Cyprus

Five suspects kept in custody in Turkey for gangland murder in north

Halil Falyali
File photo: Halil Falyali

The two brothers, who allegedly lead a crime group in Turkey, were among the five suspects kept in custody by the Turkish authorities for the murder of Turkish Cypriot businessman Halil Falyali in Cyprus earlier in February.

Three of the eight suspects arrested in connection with the murder were released, it emerged on Tuesday.

The suspects that remained in custody were Mustafa Söylemez and his brother Mehmet Faysal Söylemez, who are well known in Turkey and allegedly lead the organised crime group known as the “Söylemez Brothers” as well as Cengiz Sener, Abdurrahman Celik, Eder Yildiz.

Mustafa Söylemez, seen as the leader of the group, who was accused of organising the assassination of Falyalı, exercised his right to remain silent. He just said he denied the charges, the Istanbul-based daily BirGün reported.

The gang leader was involved in a report on the notorious Susurluk scandal of the 1990s, in which a seemingly random traffic accident shed light on an alleged illegal organisation of underworld figures linked to state officials and police chiefs.

Söylemez and his group, mostly comprised of his brothers and relatives, had been subject to multiple trials over the years on charges of murder, abduction and corruption.

Turkish press recently reported that despite collaboration with the Turkish Cypriot authorities, the suspects would be charged and tried in Turkey rather than in the north.

A Kyrenia prosecutor may be involved in the trial as an examining magistrate while groups of people from the north will travel to Ankara to assist with the case.

Falyali was gunned down while being driven home in the evening on February 8, and later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. His driver, Murat Demirtas, also died in the attack.

The victim’s wife went home in her own vehicle and passed by the crime scene 5-10 minutes later, while his children were at their home in Ayios Epiktitos. Media reported he was murdered in a blind spot for CCTV cameras at around 6.45pm.

His two bodyguards were among the six arrested in the north after a pistol and 15 bullets, which had reportedly been used in a different attack in Ankara, were allegedly found in their apartment in Karavas.

The two, along with another suspect remain in custody, Turkish Cypriot police chief Ahmet Soyalan told the media. Soyalan was making statements amidst reports the crime would be covered up. He said police were working day and night and have already made some progress in their investigations.

On February 13, two Kalashnikovs were found near the site of the murder in a dry stream. Four Kalashnikov magazines, 39 bullets, a 9mm pistol with its magazine and 13 bullets were also found. According to Soyalan, they are believed to have been used in the murder, but it remains unknown as to how they ended up in the island.

Authorities also investigated information about 3,002 people and received approximately 100 statements and checked the material of 80 cameras of city surveillance system (MOBESSE).

Fingerprints, DNA and gunpowder traces found on their clothes have reportedly been sent to Turkey for analysis along with the guns and ammunition found near the crime scene.

The police chief rubbished claims of police inadequacy as one of the suspects detained in Turkey left from the north via Ercan airport, explaining that at the time of his departure, authorities had no information against him. He added that an unknown source within the Turkish Cypriot authorities was leaking information to the media.

Falyali, who owned the five-star Les Ambassadeurs Hotel & Casino in Cyprus, was at the centre of allegations about illegal betting and money laundering.

The businessman was also accused by fugitive Turkish mobster Sedat Peker last year in a series of videos. Peker claimed Falyalı secretly videotaped people staying in his hotel, including politicians, to blackmail them, daily paper Sabah reported.

Media in Turkey have also focused on Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar’s alleged relationship with the businessman after photographs of the two dining together were made public.

On Monday, Yeni Duzen editor in chief, Cenk Mutluyakalı, published the transcript of a telephone conversation he had with Tatar, after he appeared on Turkish television to discuss the Turkish Cypriot leader’s relationship with Falyali.

Tatar has reportedly denied any relationship with the businessman, saying he felt the journalist “humiliated” him, as he has “not received a single lira from Falyali.”

“He did not fund my election campaign,” he said, “There is no proof of anything like that”.

 

Follow the Cyprus Mail on Google News

Related Posts

Yeroskipou protests against planned new amphitheatre stage

Tom Cleaver

Two arrested trying to cross to north with guns

Tom Cleaver

House to vote on criminalising falsely accusing the police

Tom Cleaver

Decline in business loans continued in late 2023, CBC says

Kyriacos Nicolaou

Infamous church scandal has shaken people’s faith – poll

Nikolaos Prakas

New arrest in document forgery ring

Staff Reporter