Mine owner's son in Courthouse
MANİSA (DİHA) - Soma Holding CEO Alp Gürkan’s son Can Gürkan, who was arrested yesterday as part of the investigation into the Soma mine disaster, has been sent to court along with 5 others.
Soma Holding's acting CEO Can Gürkan said as he arrived at court: "I will speak when the time comes." Akhisar Chief Prosecutor Bekir Şahiner said 16 suspects had been sent to court, adding: "five of them have been remanded in custody, 3 have been released and 8 were released under supervision." Şahiner said another 6 suspects had been brought to his office, adding: "The Soma prosecutors will take statements and continue the judicial process."
Soma Coal Mining Company operating manager Akın Çelik, engineers Yalçın Erdoğan and Ertan Ersoy, and shift supervisors Yasin Kurnaz and Hilmi Kazık have been arrested overnight after long hours of interrogation. Çelik was one of the high-ranking officials who participated to the company's press statement on May 16 along with the owner, Alp Gürkan. Other 15 people were released on probation pending trial while five other suspects are expected to be sent to court on May 19.
Chief Prosecutor Bekir Şahiner said those detained were charged with "causing multiples cases of death by negligence." The 25 people taken to custody upon prosecutors' order included Can Gürkan, CEO of the group and son of the company’s owner.
(nt)
